The Shoshone power plant is the cornerstone for water rights in the upper river.
Rivers & Lakes
Posted inArticles
Does a river have a right to life?
No law gives a river a right to exist; at best, laws protect a river from harm caused by new development.
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Standing sentinel over the Umpqua River’s steelhead
A Buddhist fly-angler in Oregon protects fish from death by dynamite.
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California Westlands water settlement in limbo
The deal addresses toxic drainage but could fall apart without congressional action.
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A water-bottling plant creates a rift in Montana
Opponents say a proposal is tilting Flathead Valley development toward corporate interests.
Posted inOctober 30, 2017: The Changing Face of Woods Work
Latest: Klamath farmers lose ‘takings’ lawsuit
A judge denies compensation for the 2001 water shut-off to protect salmon runs.
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As sediment builds, one dam faces its comeuppance
Officials at a Colorado reservoir are reckoning with decades of accumulation.
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‘Diabolical’ mussels begin their march into Montana
Divisions between state and tribal agencies could keep the door open for a most unwelcome visitor.
Posted inOctober 30, 2017: The Changing Face of Woods Work
Why a Colorado River reunion with the sea isn’t a guarantee
To revive a desiccated ecosystem, a U.S.-Mexico agreement looks past ‘pulse flows.’
Posted inOctober 2, 2017: Following Ancient Footsteps
Latest: A setback for a Las Vegas pipeline
Judge tells BLM to redo plans for compensating for wildlife habitat that would be lost to massive groundwater project.
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West Obsessed: On dams and the rebirth of the Elwha
A deep dive into a dismantled dam — and another in the planning stages.
Posted inOctober 30, 2017: The Changing Face of Woods Work
U.S. and Mexico agree to share a shrinking Colorado River
The two nations are poised to sign an updated water pact to deal with drought.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
In Glen Canyon, a fight against invasive grasses
A young researcher seeks to make the Southwest more resilient to climate change.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
A return to the Snake River
Taking a trip down the undammed section of Hells Canyon.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Down with the Glen Canyon Dam?
Activists claim that decommissioning the dam will save water and restore a wild canyon. Are they right?
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
After its dams came down, a river is reborn
A look at the Elwha unleashed.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Will Utah dam the Bear River?
The Wasatch Front faces drier times and a growing population, threatening the Great Salt Lake.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Slow progress on Park Service harassment
The agency begins to deliver on promises to confront sexual harassment.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
Owls stuck in toilets; Otter attacks tuber; Mr. Mayor: Stubbs the cat
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inSeptember 4, 2017: The Elwha, Unleashed
A community copes with record low salmon returns
On the Fraser River, faltering salmon populations have impacted tribes and urban economies.