A beleaguered Colorado waterway garners new attention.
Drought
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Atmospheric rivers ease Western drought
Record-breaking rain and snow bring salvation — and destruction — to a drought-parched West.
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In the once-cool forests of the Pacific Northwest, heat poses a new threat
Drought can stress trees to death, but heat’s effects are less known. New research could hold the keys to protecting conifer forests.
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Displaced by the climate crisis
Jake Bittle’s new book foregrounds the experience of those already affected by a worsening climate.
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Could Arizona’s new governor shift Colorado River politics?
There’s a historic reckoning in the Colorado River Basin — and Katie Hobbs is here to play hard ball.
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The Salinas River and the foretold flood
Agriculture beat the river into submission. It’s back.
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What happens when an affluent Arizona suburb’s main water supply is cut off?
As the Colorado River crisis worsens, an unregulated housing development faces a reckoning.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2023: The Reveal
In a warming world, California’s trees keep dying
That could doom the state’s plan to fight climate change with the help of nature.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2023: The Reveal
LDS environmentalists want their institution to address the Great Salt Lake’s collapse
Advocates call for healing the rift between scripture and politics.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Can dam removal save the Snake River?
See the river as the climate changes, development continues and consequences grow with inaction.
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.’
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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.
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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.
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The pinyon jay’s predicament
The keystone species’ habitat in New Mexico is threatened by wildfire prevention and the climate crisis.
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Can the Salton Sea be saved?
Climate change, megadrought and agricultural needs have transformed the ‘jewel in the Californian desert’ into a toxic place.
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Colorado River Basin tribes work to protect their water rights
Amid historic drought and federal calls for cuts, tribes along the river face difficult choices.
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The feds declined to seriously cut Colorado River water use. Here’s what that means
After Southwestern states failed to cut a deal, the Interior Department took it easy on them.
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Protecting a vulnerable great blue heron rookery
Despite recreation pressures, a Colorado community comes together to preserve the wildness of the place they live in.
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Wildfire kills Klamath fish: ‘Everything that’s in there is dead.’
Landslides of ash have poisoned tens of thousands of fish in the already-imperiled river.