Water master Robert Rios walks down to irrigation gates near the border wall in El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in July 2023. The "ditch riders" frequently find dead migrants trapped ...

High water in the South Platte River means plenty of the stuff available to fill irrigation reservoirs. It also means hidden peril for the structures that divert the water from the river into ...

Editor’s note: This story contains reporting that some readers may find disturbing. Robert Rios knows the Rio Grande as few do: its vagary and speed, its awesome power to give life and take it away.

This story was republished on Jan. 5, 2024, to make it free for all readers. Editor’s note: This story contains reporting that some readers may find disturbing. Robert Rios knows the Rio Grande as few ...