One of the West’s most beloved authors revisits Great Salt Lake.
Drought
Posted inOctober 31, 2016: A Monumental Divide
War and peace on the Colorado River
A new book makes a case for optimism in the basin, but the threat of water battles will always be around.
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For the first time, U.S. and Mexico take stock of the underground water they share
The two countries have tried for years to thoroughly assess aquifers along the border.
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Is there a way to revive drought-stricken soil?
In Colorado, potato-farming brothers are saving water by using cover crops innovatively.
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The NASA scientist keeping an eye on California’s drought
Senior scientist Jay Famiglietti’s research looks at the West and the world’s dwindling water resources.
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New documentary offers a sharp look at the West’s water crisis
In ‘Killing the Colorado,’ people, not nature, are responsible for shortages.
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Wildfire rips through California’s windy Cajon Pass
Under potentially ‘new normal’ fire conditions, 80,000 people have been evacuated.
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The West’s ‘new normal’: Another long season of volatile wildfires
In California and across the region, drought and heat makes for big blazes.
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Ranch Diaries: After a dry spell, we finally have good rain at the ranch
We altered our grazing plan early in the summer to account for aridity, but now we’re rolling in forage.
Posted inAugust 8, 2016: Line of Descent
California plans to log its drought-killed trees
Cutting down dead trees may not reduce wildfire risk.
Posted inJune 13, 2016: Water to Dust
Arizona fends off threats to water supplies
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey is sticking by regulations and negotiating deals.
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Can California’s water agencies keep up the conservation momentum?
Without mandatory regulations, some local districts fear a return to water waste.
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Southwest primed for a nasty fire season
In much of California, Arizona and New Mexico El Niño and La Niña have combined to create dry fuels, ready to burn.
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As Lake Mead sinks, states agree to more drastic water cuts
California, Arizona and Nevada are back in negotiations about the dwindling Colorado River water supply.
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The drought isn’t over, so let’s not relax
It’s too soon to stop water conservation efforts. News of the drought’s end are greatly exaggerated.
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Snowpack is melting fast, despite April storms
It has dwindled faster than experts have seen in nearly four decades, which could upset reservoir management.
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It’s time to stop development and save the Rio Grande
The rattling trumpet call of sandhill cranes echoed throughout the Rio Grande Valley in central New Mexico this February. The flocks began to make their ascent into the sky, circling to gain altitude and then heading north. The cranes’ early departure — driven by climate change — reveals one of the many challenges of adapting […]
Posted inMarch 21, 2016: Making Sense of Malheur
Drought brings unexpected water relief to California communities
State and federal funds are paying for desperately needed infrastructure in the Central Valley.
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The disappearing wetlands in California’s Central Valley
Where water is scarce, waterbirds pay the price.
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In Utah, a massive water project is gaining ground
The project could divert 86,000 acre-feet from Lake Powell to the retirement community of St. George.