Episode 1: When dams break
Water is a precious commodity in the southwest, and the things we build to improve access show just how precious it is. We've spent billions of dollars on dams, canals, wells, and much more, just so that, when we want water, it's there. In this episode, we look at dams. As America's infrastructure ages, how much do we need to worry about these massive structures? And what does it look like when one gives way?
Episode 2: How water gets to (most of) us
It's easy to wonder how water companies that don't have a municipal government backing them keep the wells running. And what happens when one breaks? On this episode, what goes into running the small water companies that dot our state.
Episode 3: Why is alfalfa one of Arizona's biggest crops?
If you’ve ever driven by a farm field in the desert, you probably have wondered 'why are they growing crops here?' Arizona’s economy is traditionally based on the Five-Cs…cotton, citrus, cattle, climate, and copper… all are heavily tied to the availability of water in a state that is in the midst of an historic drought. Is the industry that accounts for 72% of the state's water consumption using its supply of water wisely?
Episode 4: Water and housing
A lot of people are moving to Arizona. But the state is in an historic drought, and water is finite. As the state deals with concerns about water and homebuilding, we head to a place that has been battling such concerns for nearly two decades to learn about two long, protracted battles over building houses while trying to keep a river alive.
Episode 5: Water and copper
Mining was Arizona's first billion-dollar industry. It's been an economic backbone, so much so that we put a prospector on the state seal. As we're re-exam the state's economy, some issues are coming up about water use in some industries. So, where does that leave copper?
Episode 6: Water and housing redux
Castle and Cooke Arizona, a company that you heard about in Episode 4 recently announced that they are abandoning that project. That, paired with a decision in a 40-year-old court case over water usage in that company's area, prompted us to dive back into the issue and see where things stand now.
Episode 7: When a reservoir is more than stored water
Page, Arizona started as a camp set up by the crews building Glen Canyon Dam in the 1950s and 60s. But, once the dam was done, the city continued to grow, thanks in large part to the newly-created Lake Powell. For most people, Lake Powell is stored water and a source of electricity. But, for the people of Page, it's the lifeblood of their community.
Episode 8: An unprecedented water line in an unprecedented place
Since 2010, there have been more than 85 major breaks that have disrupted water delivery at the Grand Canyon. The breaks are expensive to repair, and often happen in areas that are dangerous to repair. But the pipeline is finally getting an upgrade, in what experts are calling an unprecedented undertaking.
Episode 9: How a tribe’s concern over mining contamination on ancestral homelands brought Biden to Arizona
Nearly one million acres surrounding the Grand Canyon recently became a national monument, including the sacred ancestral land of the Havasupai Tribe, a people who are often described as the most remote tribe in America. But, three miles away sits a uranium mine that the tribe says is contaminating its water.
Episode 10: How laws and regulations can hinder tribal initiatives
In the previous episode, we heard about the Havasupai people's decades-long battle to stop a uranium mine that they say is contaminating their water. But federal agencies say that the radioactive material of concern continues to be at a level that's safe by law. The question still remains…does following the letter of the law adhere to the spirit of the law?
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