Without agency approval, the Delta tunnels deal can’t proceed — but conflicting statements make next steps uncertain.
Water
Posted inArticles
A flood of drought news can reduce water use
Drought-stricken California conserved more when media coverage spiked.
Posted inArticles
Ski resorts prepare for warmer Northwest winters
Shrinking snowpack has led some resorts to use costly, water-intensive snowmakers.
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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Trump’s BLM removes a hurdle for controversial Cadiz project
The Mojave Desert project moves forward without typical environmental review.
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One in 30 wells in the West failed in recent years
New research shows just how many wells ran dry between 2013 and 2015.
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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.
Posted inArticles
California water project could cramp Colorado River plan
If the Delta tunnels deal sinks, it could mean increased pressure on the already-strapped Colorado.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Farming in Alaska is increasingly possible
Longer growing seasons and food scarcity are turning more people to agriculture.
Posted inSeptember 18, 2017: No Hoax
Gun-toting cats; bird killers; plastic bottles return
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
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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 inArticles
Why are federal flood maps so flawed?
The maps are expensive to maintain and shaped by local politics.
Posted inOctober 2, 2017: Following Ancient Footsteps
Trump administration erodes environmental protections
The courts have slowed some rollbacks but many have moved ahead.
Posted inArticles
How oceans impact Western reservoirs and rivers
New research on marine temperatures could help improve drought predictions.
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?