Soil moisture drives year-to-year change in land carbon uptake
There has been significant debate over what exactly causes interannual variability in land carbon uptake. A new study published in Nature resolves this debate, showing that soil moisture is indeed in the…
Read More...New Mexico tribes sue US over federal clean water rule
Two Indigenous communities in New Mexico are suing the U.S. EPA over a revised federal rule that narrowed the types of waterways that qualify for federal protection under the half-century-old Clean Water Act,…
Read More...Dry soils plague Colorado River Basin, absorbing runoff needed downstream
When it comes to water in the West, a lot of it is visible. But another important factor is much harder to see. Beneath the surface, the amount of moisture…
Read More...Carbon-negative crops may mean water shortages for 4.5 billion people
Billions more people could have difficulty accessing water if the world opts for a massive expansion in growing energy crops to fight climate change, research has found. Harvesting energy crops…
Read More...Megadrought: New Mexico farms face uncertain future
Historic heavy usage of Rio Grande water has left New Mexico in a particularly difficult position ahead of the impending drought. Right now, a New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission hydrogeologist…
Read More...Drought takes hold in West after second dry winter
Dry conditions in the Southwest largely associated with La Nina have intensified what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling the most significant U.S. spring drought since 2013, affecting…
Read More...Simple hand-built structures can help streams survive wildfires and drought
Building simple structures with sticks and stones — and inviting in dam-building beavers — can keep water where it’s needed to fight drought and wildfires. Backed by science, these beaver…
Read More...Can cloud seeding help the West’s drought?
With three-quarters of the West gripped by a seemingly ceaseless drought, several states are increasingly embracing a drastic intervention – the modification of the weather to spur more rainfall. The…
Read More...Drought is the U.S. west’s next big climate disaster
Water scarcity is baking cropland and ramping up wildfire risk from California to Texas. Much of the U.S. West is facing the driest spring in seven years, setting up a…
Read More...America’s West Faces A Megadrought. What’s The Solution?
The western U.S. is no stranger to drought. But this isn’t any dry spell. More than 70% of the West is exceptionally parched. Could it be a permanent change?
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