Colorado's troubled waters: our findings 

Colorado’s water quality declined 21 percent for rivers and streams and 31 percent for lakes over the last eight years, and will continue to decline if changes aren’t made, according to “Water Under Pressure,” a new report from the Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center.

Released together with “Troubled Waters,” a survey of Clean Water Act violations in Colorado, the new report documents the most serious threats to our waterways. One urgent problem is understaffing at the Water Quality Control Division, the agency responsible for monitoring Colorado’s lakes, streams and rivers.

“We need more cops on the beat; without proper inspection and enforcement of our current clean water laws, there’s no way to start improving water quality,” said Matt Garrington, field director for Environment Colorado.

Other threats cited in the report were rapidly expanding energy development, such as oil and gas drilling and mining, and urban overdevelopment and sprawl.

“Most Coloradans know how important our water supply is to the state,” said Garrington. “We should be doing more to make sure it stays safe and clean.”