The United States added more than 3 million acres of irrigated farmland since 1997, but many Western states lost ground as water moved from farms to cities.

The Bureau of Reclamation raised 2026 Central Valley Project water allocations for south-of-Delta farms, cities and industry, citing better conditions.

Researchers link the 2026 western US snow drought to climate change, finding it about four times more likely and warning of more frequent droughts ahead.

A new study says storing water underground can buffer drought, but an aquifer's ability to hold water decides how much comes back out.

Utah reservoirs dropped 13% from May to July as monsoon rain brought relief and deadly flooding, while wildfires and low rivers strain the state.

New Mexico takes action over unauthorized border wall wells as Western water disputes grow over farms, aquifers, data centers and Lake Mead.