In 2016, David Cottrell dropped $400 worth of rock on Washaway Beach to see what would happen. Now engineers are watching, too.
Climate change
Posted inArticles
How California’s emergency plans fail disabled communities
Kelley Coleman’s 9-year-old son had two days of his medication left. Then the evacuation order hit.
Posted inMarch 1, 2023: Moving Parts
Here’s what it takes to build Alaska’s highways of ice
Frozen rivers are vital transportation routes for communities outside the state’s traditional road system.
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Why are so few talking about the power grid amid extreme winter storms?
California’s current deluge highlights huge vulnerabilities.
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How far can $25 million go to relocate a community that’s disappearing into Alaska’s melting permafrost?
A recent Interior Department grant aims to help residents in Newtok move to higher ground, but it’s just a sliver of what’s needed.
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New Mexico’s new pollution rules leave oil and gas operators to police themselves
Lack of enforcement allows industry to keep emitting greenhouse gases, evidence shows.
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The West’s salt lakes are turning to dust. Can Congress help?
A new research and monitoring program aims to conserve threatened but overlooked saline ecosystems.
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The power of atmospheric rivers, explained
Back-to-back storms in California threaten lives, homes, and infrastructure — but will also bolster the West’s water supply.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Why are Saudi farmers pumping Arizona groundwater?
A conversation with Natalie Koch, author of ‘Arid Empire: The Entangled Fates of Arabia and Arizona.’
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
La Niña expected to serve up a hat trick
The weather pattern hits the West for a third consecutive winter.
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A year in the Borderlands: The biggest stories from 2022
With a little help from our friends, HCN untangles the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Can assisted migration save the Rio Grande’s cutthroat?
Scientists wage an upstream battle to save trout in a warming West.
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Bringing back California’s wild bees
Scientists and farmers fight against the homogenization of nature to return native pollinators to the Golden State.
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Alaska’s Arctic waterways are turning orange, threatening drinking water
Scientists think climate change may be the culprit.
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Could Alaska help lessen international dependence on Russian oil?
A proposed LNG project spanning the state would export natural gas, but could harm land, wildlife & subsistence harvests.
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Utah dismisses youth climate case. But it’s not over.
What the state court’s decision signals for other similar cases.
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Is carbon capture the solution for jobs and climate action in fossil fuel country?
A project in Wyoming’s coal region brings the new technology, but critics say it carries unacceptable risks.
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Federal, state and local agencies reach agreement to address Salton Sea crisis
The $250 million commitment will support public health and habitat while conserving Colorado River water.
Posted inDecember 1, 2022: Beyond Illusion
Pink snow is a red flag for the West’s water
Researchers are trying to understand what drives snow algal blooms and how they could alter water supplies.
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Alaska salmon face a tide of new mines
Active and proposed mines threaten key salmon watersheds in Alaska and British Columbia.