That’s how I describe severe droughts, like the one that now blankets the American West.

Disasters of this sort require focused, committed reporting. At Circle of Blue, we ignore the frivolous and fleeting stories to bring readers the information and context they need in order to understand life in a time of environmental upheaval. 

You can help support that kind of deep, lasting reporting -- reporting that covers the big topics of the day but also brings overlooked stories to prominence, whether it’s an explanation of the water accounting systems in the Colorado River basin or a feature story highlighting toxic algae in California’s second-largest freshwater lake and the Native American tribes leading the response.

Right now, your support can go twice as far, thanks to NewsMatch. Starting now, through December 31, NewsMatch will double your one-time donation up to a limit of $1,000, or match the first payment of new monthly donors 12 times to reflect a year's worth of your monthly gift, up to a $1,000. 

With your help we could raise up to $20,000 in total with this effort.

When a disaster affects everything, leaders and readers need trusted reporting at their side.

Are you ready to make a difference? 

  Drought in the Colorado River basin has been deeply consequential for the more than 40 million people who get a portion of their drinking water from the river. The basin’s two largest reservoirs, Lakes Mead and Powell, are puddles of their former selves. Each about one-third full, they sit today at record lows, products of the Colorado River’s unforgiving math, in which demand exceeds supply. Photo © J. Carl Ganter / Circle of Blue