One of the most contested water management policies in the United States relies on an ill-informed agreement forged more than a century ago. The 1922 Colorado River Compact “ignored available science and overallocated the river’s water,” say the scientist-authors of the lead story in this year’s policy issue. But it’s not too late to change course, they argue in “Fixing the Flawed Colorado River Compact.”
Data from rivers and other inland waters can inform policies surrounding climate action and conservation, as well as water management, as evidenced by “Inland Waters Are a Blind Spot in Greenhouse Gas Emissions” and “Kansas Prairie Streams Are Getting Choked, Maybe for Good.” Both articles focus on the sobering challenges of evaluating riverine and riparian ecosystems.
Ultimately, strong science communication can lead to action, remind the scientist-authors of the opinion “From Newsworthiness to News Usefulness in Climate Change Research.” Taking a broad and multidisciplinary approach, they echo the recommendations of the authors of “Fixing the Flawed Colorado River Compact,” recognizing that effective science communication and policy discourse rely on outreach and collaboration. “In addition to considering the best available science,” they write, “all stakeholders…must have seats at the negotiating table.”
The distinctive “bathtub ring” around Lake Mead is evident in this view overlooking Las Vegas Boat Harbor and Lake Mead Marina in August 2022. Credit: Christopher Clark/U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, CC BY-SA 2.0 Read more 
Inland waters in China, such as the Yangtze River, could be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Credit: Lishan Ran Read more 
The Konza Prairie Biological Station in Kansas has changed over the past 30 years. Woody vegetation now grows where grasses once thrived. Credit: Walter Dodds Read more 
Credit: ©Image191/Dreamstime.com Read more
—Caryl-Sue Micalizio, Editor in Chief