Items by Matt Jenkins

Vegas forges ahead on pipeline plan
The Southern Nevada Water Authority is slowly removing obstacles in the way of its plan to pump water from the Great Basin and ship it to Las Vegas.
The Most Cooked-Up Catch
The Most Cooked-Up Catch
Saving fisheries -- and taking the edge off the dangerous derby of the sea.
How low will it go?
How low will it go?
If Eric Kuhn is right about the Colorado River, then the state faces a dry and difficult future of fighting for water.
Liquid assets
California is enthusiastic about creating “water banks” to help the state’s cities weather future droughts.
The Mog Squad
In the quest for the ultimate firefighting machine, the BLM in Nevada has turned to some very big, very strange, and very foreign vehicles.
Peace on the Klamath
Peace on the Klamath
For years, Native Americans, fishermen and farmers have battled over the Klamath River in southern Oregon and Northern California, but finally a complicated truce is in the works.
Seeking the Water Jackpot
The Navajo Nation is determined to finally claim its rightful share of the Colorado River after 86 years of being left out of the region’s water politics.
Seeing the light in 2008
Matt Jenkins wants to help save the world – and its ski slopes – one compact fluorescent light at a time.
L.A. Bets on the Farm
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California – the West’s most powerful water agency – uses a shrewd blend of Wall Street tactics and rural diplomacy to keep the water flowing to L.A. and its environs.
Cutting trees to save the forest
Chris Kelly’s environmental group, The Conservation Fund, is carefully logging its own redwood trees in order to save forests and salmon in Northern California.
The Sultans of Spuds
Western farmers band together to form the “OPEC of Potatoes” – a farmers’ cooperative called the United Potato Growers of America
Brave New Hay
Monsanto’s genetically modified Roundup Ready alfalfa may take over the West, as the company re-engineers the world to conform to its business plan
Into thin air?
Global warming spurs calls for new dams in the West – but where will the water come from to fill them?
Stream leases languish
Efforts to privatize instream-flow protection – to keep enough water in rivers and streams to sustain their ecological functions – face tough going in the West.
The Efficiency Paradox
Water efficiency has long been touted as a silver bullet for the West’s water problems, but too much efficiency can cause problems of its own, especially in the fragile Colorado River Delta.
How to be #1 in the world and still be a loser
Giles Slade’s new book, Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America, is a fascinating intellectual history of how marketers demolished the American tradition of thrift.
Excremental gains?
Kern County, Calif., is trying to prevent Los Angeles sludge from entering the county, where it is used to fertilize farmland, and the resulting stink is raising all kinds of questions about how we handle human waste
River Redux
Six decades after Friant Dam killed off the San Joaquin River’s spring-run chinook, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Friant Water Users Authority are working with the federal government to restore both the fish and the river
Getting out of the office, and into hot water
California geology professor Jeff Mount uses river trips as an educational tool
On the ballot: Will Californians vote to build an off-ramp from the oil highway?
California’s Proposition 87 would tax oil produced in the state to raise money for the development of alternative fuels
How to save a creek... one drop at a time
A detailed map shows the work being done on Oregon’s Whychus Creek to restore instream flows with the cooperation of local farmers
A River Once More
In Oregon, a revolutionary community alliance is working to put water – and steelhead trout – back into the Deschutes River
Sleepers
Several magazines and newspapers provide good independent commentary on water in the West, but there is always room for more
The wet Net
John Orr created his "Coyote Gulch" blog to follow Denver-area politics and Colorado water issues
Waterblogged
Rick Spilsbury, a Western Shoshone Indian, writes bitingly and sometimes hilariously about Nevada’s water issues on his "noshootfoot" blog
Running on empty in Sin City
Although many rural Nevadans are unhappy with Las Vegas’ plans for a giant groundwater project, the six other states that rely on water from the Colorado River are hoping the Nevada project goes ahead.
Undoing the myth of Western exceptionalism
California’s decision to tackle global warming is a sign that the West is finally growing up enough to realize that it is not an "exceptional" place, entirely detached from the rest of the modern world.
California steps up to lead the nation
The writer salutes California for taking action on global warming and says that the notion of Western "exceptionalism" is dead
Wilderness cliffhanger
Three compromise wilderness bills have passed the House and now await Senate approval
‘There was just some hard hittin’ going on’
‘There was just some hard hittin’ going on’
Matt Jenkins visits the annual Combine Demolition Derby in the tiny farming town of Lind, Wash.
High Country News Classifieds
  • WYOMING CLIMATE ORGANIZER
    Job Title: Wyoming Climate Coordinator Reports to: Energy and Climate Policy Director Type of Work: Full-time, hourly, but willing to consider part-time Classification: Non-exempt Start...
  • DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
    Colorado West Land Trust seeks a Director of Development to lead the organization's fundraising efforts. Western Colorado is home to Colorado's fruit and wine industry,...
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    NON-PROFIT DIRECTOR If you are looking for meaningful work, this is the opportunity to join a small and exciting nonprofit organization led by an engaged...
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    High Country News is seeking an intern to serve on its award-winning Indigenous Affairs Desk. The Indigenous Affairs Intern will dive deep into important stories...
  • COMING TO TUCSON?
    Popular vacation house, everything furnished. Two bedroom, one bath, large enclosed yards. Dog-friendly. Contact Lee at [email protected] or 520-791-9246.
  • ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSTRUCTION GEOPHYSICS
    We characterize contaminated sites, identify buried drums, tanks, debris and also locate groundwater.
  • NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION MANAGER
    Central Colorado Conservancy is an accredited land trust and community-based conservation organization based in Salida, CO. Our mission is to protect the land, waters and...
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    Welcome to your new tranquil oasis in Montana. This beautiful 2-bedroom home FSBO is just an hour's drive to the east entrance of Glacier National...
  • DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
    Areas of Responsibility: The Development Director collaborates with the Executive Director, other HEAL Utah staff, board, and supporters to continue building one of Utah's most...
  • DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
    Position Summary Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is hiring an organized and creative Digital Engagement Specialist to join our Marketing and Communications Team. The Digital Engagement...
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    Welcome to Lost Creek Sanctuary... a true hidden gem in the heart of the Palouse. 1900 square feet, the main house is warm and charming,...
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    Vibrant, financially successful 1,100 print run, community-focused subscription newspaper in beautiful Pacific Northwest Washington seeks owner/s. It is time to retire. Now, your Norman Rockwell-like...
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    Job Opening Announcement: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Staff Attorney Reports to: Wildlands and Wildlife Program Director Location: Pacific Northwest, ideally in Eugene, Oregon, Portland, Oregon,...
  • HEAD OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
    The Head of Project Management will oversee our project execution to ensure that we are providing our partners around the world with the field data...
  • LEGAL DIRECTOR
    Trustees for Alaska is the only nonprofit environmental law firm founded and based in Alaska. We are seeking a Legal Director, full-time based in Anchorage....
  • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
    The Fund for People in Parks seeks leader to identify, develop, fund, and facilitate high-impact projects in western National Parks. Remote position with some travel....
  • GRASSROOTS REGIONAL COORDINATOR
    Great Old Broads for Wilderness is a women-led national grassroots organization that engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. The...
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    Great Old Broads for Wilderness is a women-led national grassroots organization that engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. Position...
  • GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP DIRECTOR
    The Grassroots Leadership (Director) oversees the training, guidance, and support of volunteer Broadband Leaders. (Broadbands are women-led grassroots chapters, with 40+ across the country.) They...
  • FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT NEEDED
    We would like to invite you to participate in a 60-minute focus group to help us enhance the New Mexico Courts website (https://www.inside.nmcourts.gov/). Our aim...