Rocky Mountain Community Radio

A new report from the Bureau of Reclamation shows water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the Colorado River’s two largest reservoirs, remain low. It predicts those conditions could continue or worsen over the next two years. CU Boulder’s Chris Winter says this should spur the seven states in the basin to come to an agreement on new operating guidelines for the future.

A University of Utah study used data from wildfires in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California to look at how private forests for industrial timber harvest were impacted by severe fire weather, brought about by climate change.

In the small town of Howard, Colorado, something special happens each summer. Riders of all ages gather at the Four Bar S arena for a grassroots gymkhana series that's more than just a set of horse events. It’s a tradition, a community, and a legacy, all wrapped into one.

Historically dry fuels and long stretches of fire weather have led to the conditions driving one of Colorado’s biggest wildfires. Some experts are saying that climate change, which creates these conditions, could make these kinds of fire the new normal.

Wildfires throughout the Mountain West have caused significant air quality problems this summer, even for communities miles away from the fires. CU Boulder’s Joost de Gouw says that’s because of how particles in the smoke interact with the atmosphere.

The Trump administration declared a national energy emergency in January, hoping to spur domestic energy and mineral production. Some advocates say the administration is using the declaration as a pretense to bolster the fossil fuel industry.

Rock Springs has long been one of the most diverse towns in the West. Now, its relationship with immigrants is embattled for other reasons.

On Thursday, July 31, Rocky Mountain Community Radio hosted a regional call-in show that brought together listeners across the Mountain West to talk about the future of our shared landscapes.

A new study shows that utility companies in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are predicting explosions in energy demand due to data centers that power artificial intelligence.

Cities across the West have been gathering data on extreme heat, but heat mapping looks a little different in rural areas like Moab, Utah, where outdoor recreation is the main economic driver.