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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The law that divides the Colorado River between seven states is turning 100, and it's being strained beyond what its drafters could have imagined.
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Hundreds of visitors to the Grand Canyon over the summer were sickened by a norovirus, which prompted the CDC to take a look at it. (Story aired on Weekend Edition Saturday on Sept. 24, 2022.)
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The Grand Canyon is home to incredible natural beauty. And this summer, a norovirus outbreak. The stomach bug sickened hundreds of rafters and hikers ... and prompted the CDC to take a look at it.
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Understanding drought in the West is hard. A Colorado woman is explaining the problem to a new generation of water users to debunk misinformation that can easily spread during a crisis.