agriculture

In the arid Mountain West, rivers are under growing pressure — from climate change, drought and rising demand for water. But new research from New Mexico suggests some river ecosystems may be more resilient than they appear.

Salt lakes in the American West are shrinking — from Utah’s Great Salt Lake to smaller lakes scattered across the Great Basin. In her new book “Salt Lakes: An Unnatural History,” writer Caroline Tracey explores why these unusual landscapes matter, and what their decline reveals about humans’ impact on the environment.

Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, have received a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to study an unlikely candidate for future fuels: cactus pear.

Across the Mountain West, where drought and shrinking reservoirs are putting pressure on already limited water supplies, decisions about who uses how much water often hinge on imperfect data. A nonprofit collaboration called OpenET hopes to change that.

Large farms in parts of the Colorado River Basin are paying little — and in some cases nothing — for federally supplied water, even as cities and residents are being asked to conserve, according to a new report.

Nevada wildlife officials have confirmed the presence of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats, marking the first detection in the state — and making Nevada the final western state where the pathogen has now been found.

A federal judge recently ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to scale back its use of pesticides in all western states. Environmental groups say the ruling is a big step toward protecting rangeland wildlife.

Farming and ranching in the Western U.S. sucks up 75% of the Colorado River basin’s water supply. A new analysis shows the federal government is paying these farmers billions in crop insurance, but not helping them adapt to climate change.

For more than 20 years, the federal government has been monitoring drought conditions nationwide. A new study shows that the system is not keeping up with climate change, especially in the Mountain West region.

New research shows cattle grazing can coexist with one of the most iconic and threatened birds in the West.