Indigenous Irrigation Looks at the Whole World
There is a basic assumption that undergirds many of the conversations about water in the west: what irrigation is. Irrigation is commonly thought of as man-made structures moving water from one
Water, Not Land, Limits Growth in Colorado and the West
A decades-long boom has permanently reshaped Colorado. Along the Front Range, cities from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs have merged into a nearly unbroken wall of development. Yet as the
Dung beetles dig it, create value for ranchers and rangelands
Plop! Big mammals poop. They poop a lot. Cattle poop up to a dozen times a day. Horses? Up to 15 times per day. Bison produce three gallons of poop per
A beetle biological control success story
The tamarisk is a gritty survivor, a tenacious shrub that evolved in the steppes of central Asia in dry conditions much like those of the American West. Introduced to the
Surface water conservation programs: What are they, and are they working?
In the sixth and final installment of our spring 2025 Water Webinar series, we explored one of the most complex topics in western water: temporary, voluntary, compensated conservation programs. The
Soil Solutions to Water Scarcity: Making the most of every drop
In the fifth installment of our 2025 Water Webinar series, we explored soil health, water scarcity and drought resilience in a different, community-oriented approach. The webinar’s first hour centered on the
Irrigating for Food and Fish: Water infrastructure and healthy streams
In the fourth installment of our 2025 Water Webinar series, we explored the intersection of irrigation, infrastructure, and ecological stewardship. The discussion focused on innovative strategies that enable fish to thrive
Beneath Our Feet: Are Groundwater Easements a Solution for the West?
The second of the 2025 Water Webinar series focused on a timely and crucial discussion about groundwater conservation and its role in addressing the West’s growing water scarcity challenges. The
Southwest Colorado water district awarded $25.6M in federal funds to fight drought with river restoration
Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD) has been awarded $25.6M from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation Program (B2E). The grant application was developed in
Life After Deadpool with Zak Podmore
Today we dive into an illuminating conversation between Morgan Wagoner, Western Landowners Alliance's Western Water Program Director, and Zak Podmore, author of Life After Deadpool: Lake Powell's Last Days and
Three ways to think about the Southwest
Forging a Sustainable Southwest: The power of collaborative conservation Stephen E. Strom This book would have utility alone as a modern history of the borderlands of southern Arizona and New Mexico. But
Reviving Through Regreening: Exploring opportunities for reversing desertification
The final event of our Summer Water Webinar series, held on August 30th, brought together a diverse group of experts and stakeholders to discuss innovative strategies for water restoration in