As Colorado River and tributaries shrink, a public power system frays

By: Hank Lacey

Outlets: Utah News Dispatch

Published: July 16, 2026

Words: 1,549

Last Updated: 5 days ago

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The Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, Colorado’s only stake in a federal hydropower system that sells power across the West, is on pace to generate nearly 30% less electricity than its historical average dating to 1978, according to the Bureau of Reclamation. The shortfall is the latest sign of a decades-long decline eroding a system that accounts for about 3% of Colorado’s energy supply.

The unit’s three dams on the Gunnison River — including Blue …

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