Luke Runyon
As KUNC’s reporter covering the Colorado River Basin, I dig into stories that show how water issues can both unite and divide communities throughout the Western U.S. I produce feature stories for KUNC and a network of public media stations in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.
I love public radio because I know the power of hearing someone’s story in their own words, using their own voice. You can get a much better sense of who someone is and what their motivations are just by listening to how they speak, and that’s a big part of why I love public radio reporting.
Before covering water at KUNC I covered the agriculture and food beat for five years as the station’s Harvest Public Media reporter. I’ve also reported for Aspen Public Radio in Aspen, Colo. and Illinois Public Radio in Springfield, Ill. My reports have been featured on NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here & Now and APM's Marketplace. I’m a proud graduate of the University of Illinois’ Public Affairs Reporting program.
My work has been recognized by the Society of Environmental Journalists, Radio Television Digital News Association, the Colorado Broadcasters Association and the Public Media Journalists Association.
When I’m not at the station you can usually find me out exploring the Rocky Mountains with either a pack on my back or skis on my feet (sometimes both at the same time).
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There's a lot of anxiety about climate change shrinking Lake Powell, but it also means whitewater rapids upstream have re-emerged. Thrillseekers can now run them for the first time since the 1960s.
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There's a lot of anxiety about climate change shrinking Lake Powell, but it also means whitewater rapids upstream have re-emerged. Thrillseekers can now run them for the first time since the 1960s.
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against the Navajo Nation's request for a federal assessment of its water needs and, potentially, to meet those needs with water from the Colorado River.
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Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo Nation in a long-running dispute over what obligations the federal government has to supply water to Native Americans.
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Now that a historic agreement on sharing the Colorado River has been struck, states are working out the details, and planning for its expiration in 2026.
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The White House and seven Western states have agreed to a framework for sharing the Colorado River's water. The deal directly impacts 40 million people who rely on the river for water and power.
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KAWC spoke to water experts in Yuma and Imperial County, Calif. about deal for Arizona, California and Nevada to cut back 3 million acre-feet of water use through 2026. -
Arizona’s water director Tom Buschatzke says conservation is still important for the nation’s two largest reservoirs. -
Cuts to water use along the Colorado River could be spread evenly across some southwestern states, or follow the more than century-old priority system that currently governs water management. -
The System Conservation Pilot Program was recently rebooted with $125 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to fight shrinking water levels in Lake Powell.
