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Nature and Environment

An Aqua-Modis satellite image of snowpack in the Rockies, image including some of Colorado and Utah, taken June 12, 2019.

Snowmelt fills rivers in US Southwest, easing drought fears

Jun 13, 2019 An abundance of snowmelt is rushing into the Colorado River, the Rio Grande and other waterways after a desperately dry 2018.
"A" Mountain, or Sentinel Peak, stands above the dry riverbed of the Santa Cruz River near Tucson's birthplace. Feb. 22, 2018.

Supervisor Elias stresses importance of Clean Water Act to Senate committee

Jun 13, 2019 Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias about the importance of the Clean Water Act in the desert Southwest.
The Green River is a main branch of the Colorado River.

Dams could protect ranchers from climate change's drought, but could they also contribute to it?

Jun 13, 2019 Wyoming is moving forward on building or expanding several reservoirs on the Green River, a main branch of the Colorado River.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Tucson was 117 degrees, in 1990.

Heat warning remains in effect for Phoenix area

Jun 12, 2019 Tucson is outside the warning area but is also expected to remain hot.
Gross Reservoir is a key piece of Denver Water’s delivery system. A proposal to expand the dam that holds up the lake has galvanized opponents who live near it.

On stressed Colorado River, states test how many more diversions watershed can bear

Jun 12, 2019 The river is running short on water, and this is pushing some states to tap into every available drop before things get worse.
One of four cactus ferruginous pygmy owls to be born at the Phoenix Zoo, 2019.

4 rare pygmy owls successfully hatch at Phoenix Zoo

Jun 10, 2019 The cactus ferruginous pygmy owl's range has been declining since the '70s.
Lake Mead outside of Las Vegas.

Arizona plans for drought contingency plan impacts

Jun 10, 2019 Water managers are preparing for a future with less Colorado River water.
The Greek island of Santorini was formerly an active volcano in the Argean Sea

UA researchers dating ancient volcanic eruption using tree rings

Jun 10, 2019 The tree rings can help them understand more about the explosion of a volcano thousands of years ago.
Wolf pups at the Phoenix Zoo, May 2019.

1st Mexican gray wolf litter born at Phoenix Zoo in 20 years

Jun 5, 2019 The wolves are endangered. Officials in April said there are at least 131 in Arizona and New Mexico.
Visitors to the Grand Canyon's South Rim snap photos as the sun goes down, September 2018.

Grand Canyon named International Dark Sky Park

Jun 5, 2019 Park workers have retrofitted more than 1,500 light fixtures with LED bulbs and shields focusing light on the ground.
A California condor soars near the Grand Canyon. It is the most endangered bird in North America. It's also the largest, with a wingspan of about nine feet.

Endangered condor may have hatched in Zion National Park

Jun 3, 2019 Behavior changes in known breeding pair of birds indicate the possibility of hatched chick.
The view from the Oracle Ridge Trail looking north. The landscape would have been much the same as what Sara Lemmon saw on her journey up the mountain, except of course Biosphere II would not have been in the background.

Arizona Spotlight for May 30th, 2019

May 30, 2019 Also: Climbing Mt. Lemmon in the footsteps of Sara Plummer Lemmon; TIHAN celebrates 25 years of helping Tucson's HIV-positive community live better; and an artist who finds creative satisfaction in millions of tiny hand drawn lines.
The proposed site of the Rosemont Copper mining project is in the Santa Rita Mountains in Southern Arizona.

Support and opposition for two mines in Southern Arizona

May 30, 2019 As the Rosemont Copper mine plans to start construction, we talk with those for and against the project.
Sara Plummer Lemmon, age 44, a few months before she climbed to the summit of the Santa Catalina Mountains. / Photo by Wynne Brown. Original at the University and Jepson Herbaria Archives, University of California, Berkeley.

Walking in the footsteps of Sara Plummer Lemmon

May 29, 2019 The story of a botanist and artist who had a mountain named after her.
Wildland firefighters watch smoke from a wildfire.

Fire danger high in southeast Arizona this weekend

May 24, 2019 The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch.
A view of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.

Balancing conservation, grazing and recreation on the San Pedro River

May 24, 2019 The Bureau of Land Management has a finalized plan to guide management of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.

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