drought

A new study says endangered razorback suckers upstream of Lake Powell may struggle to migrate up the San Juan River to spawn. The fish are blocked by a waterfall that formed two decades ago when the river changed its course. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports. 

Some people collect pinyon pine nuts this time of year for a tasty autumn treat. Others sell them for extra income. But Catherine Gehring of Northern Arizona University goes nut-gathering every September for a different reason. She researches ways pinyon pines survive drought—at a time when a hotter, drier climate is predicted to drive the trees out of Arizona entirely. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny spoke with her in the woodlands east of Flagstaff.

A new study says streamflow in the Colorado River has decreased by about 15 percent in the last century. KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports higher temperatures are the primary reason.

Household water use has declined in the United States for the last two decades, mainly due to updated plumbing codes and more efficient toilets and dishwashers. But trading in a green lawn isn’t so easy. That’s why a lot of western cities are offering money for people to get rid of their grass.  KNAU’s Melissa Sevigny reports on Flagstaff’s revamped incentive program.

Ninety-five percent of Arizona’s state firefighters are currently battling major wildfires in California. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.