Selected Published Articles
Dam Accounting: Taking Stock of Methane Emissions From Reservoirs
Mounting studies highlight greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs, and now a coalition of environmental groups has called for regulatory action … (READ MORE)
The Elwha’s Living Laboratory: Lessons From the World’s Largest Dam-removal Project
Two dams removed from Washington’s Elwha River were branded as salmon-restoration projects, but their watershed and scientific impacts are just as significant … (READ MORE)
Getting to the Roots of California’s Drinking Water Crisis
The epicenter of the state’s drinking water catastrophe is in the San Joaquin Valley, where 200,000 people have struggled to obtain clean, safe water for decades … (READ MORE)
Offshore Wind Power Is Ready to Boom. Here’s What That Means for Wildlife
Climate change threatens many marine species, but some climate solutions pose risks, too. Researchers say offshore wind needs continued study and better regulation … (READ MORE)
Calls to Rethink the Colorado River’s Iconic Dams Grow Louder
With two major reservoirs on the Colorado River, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, sitting half empty, will a new hydrologic reality be enough to push for big management changes? One conservation group hopes so … (READ MORE)
An Extreme Energy Roadtrip’s Postcard from the Edge
Blowing the tops off of mountains, fracturing communities, digging for tar sands in the desert … (READ MORE)
How Removing One Maine Dam 20 Years Ago Changed Everything
The removal of the Edwards Dam on Maine’s Kennebec River helped river conservationists reimagine what’s possible … (READ MORE)
Promise or Peril? Importing Hydropower to Fuel the Clean Energy Transition
U.S. states hope to tap Canada’s network of large dams to meet low-carbon goals, but do better options exist closer to home? … (READ MORE)
My Adventures in Urban Foraging
Urban foragers have been sprouting through sidewalk cracks all across the country as the economy tightens belts and the local-foods movement gains popularity … (READ MORE)
Will the Race for Electric Vehicles Endanger the Earth’s Most Sensitive Ecosystem?
Materials needed to make the batteries for electric cars and other clean technology is driving interest in deep-seabed mining, and scientists fear the cost to the ocean will be steep … (READ MORE)
How One Utah Community Fought the Fracking Industry — and Won
Kanab, a small Utah town that’s home to the famous Best Friends Animal Society, took an unconventional path to face down a frac sand mine that threatened the region’s aquifer … (READ MORE)
Arvin, California Is A Town At The Tipping Point, Thanks To The Local Oil Company
With oilfields, feedlots, and mega farms, “overburdened” here is clearly an understatement ... (READ MORE)
What We’re Learning Before the World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project — and What We Could Miss
Scientists studying conditions on the Klamath River hope to help recovery efforts here and around the world, but they still lack dedicated funding … (READ MORE)
This Unsung Aquatic Hero Could Get a Big Boost From Dam Removals
Freshwater mussels are some of the most imperiled species in North America. Experts say we can change that by rethinking our infrastructure … (READ MORE)
The Race to Build Solar Power in the Desert — and Protect Rare Plants and Animals Removals
As development of large solar projects speeds up, researchers race against the clock to study the ecosystem implications … (READ MORE)
Blue Gold: Have the Next Resource Wars Begun?
How we decide to manage water will determine whether our future is peaceful or perilous … (READ MORE)
Are We Ready to Kiss Our Big Dams Goodbye?
It may be that our love affair with big infrastructure has cooled … (READ MORE)
The Bad Seeds: Are Wildfire Recovery Efforts Hurting Biodiversity?
To reseed or not to reseed? Replanting burned landscapes is a natural response, but doing it wrong comes with costs for species and even the climate … (READ MORE)
Why 1 Million Californians Lack Safe Drinking Water
Small, cash-strapped water districts don’t have the financial, political or technological resources to treat some of the United States’ most contaminated drinking water … (READ MORE)
As Extreme Weather Events Increase, What Are the Risks to Wildlife?
Last year the United States racked up nearly $100 billion in damages from weather and climate disasters. These events are starting to take their toll on wildlife, too … (READ MORE)
The Surprising Science of Wildfires and Tree-Killing Beetles
Beetles are killing trees in the Western United States and it seems only logical that the dead, dry trees would increase risk of wildfires, but recent scientific studies suggest the issue is more complicated … (READ MORE)
Why Are Americans Switching to Renewable Energy? Because It’s Actually Cheaper
Fossil fuels have become an economic liability—for both consumers and energy companies … (READ MORE)
Climate Refugia: Protecting Biodiversity in the Face of Climate Change
Areas with natural buffers from the effects of climate change could play a vital role in conservation efforts. New research helps to better understand them … (READ MORE)
Australia’s Bushfires: An Extinction Crisis Decades in the Making
Hundreds of blazes could push threatened species closer to extinction. But the roots of Australia’s wildlife crisis are indicative of a much larger problem … (READ MORE)
Water Contamination in Coachella Valley Is Pushing its Mobile Communities into a Corner
A sprawl of mobile home parks house 10,000 people in Southern California's Coachella Valley, but their drinking water is chronically contaminated. Now some solutions are in sight … (READ MORE)
Western Wildfires Will Be a Boon for These Native Species
As scary as wildfires are for people living near them, burned forests create some of the most biodiverse ecosystems … (READ MORE)
How a Silicon Valley City Cut Landmark Deals to Solve a Water Crisis
As the rest of Silicon Valley boomed, East Palo Alto faced a water shortage that had nothing to do with drought … (READ MORE)
Death by Rail: What We’re Finally Learning About Preventing Wildlife-Train Collisions
Railways can be deadly for animals ranging from elephants to grizzlies and frogs, but we’re just beginning to understand the causes and solutions … (READ MORE)
What It’s Like to Have 30 Oil and Gas Wells as Neighbors
If you’re driving through West Adams, a tightly packed residential neighborhood in south central L.A., you’re liable to miss the whole operation … (READ MORE)
A Climate-resilient Los Angeles Must First Address Its Polluted Past
To meet ambitious climate goals, L.A. needs more local water. A critical step is battling the ghosts of industry past — polluted groundwater that dates back to World War II … (READ MORE)
California’s Plan to Tackle a Carcinogen Widespread in Water
Decades after declaring 1,2,3-TCP a carcinogen, California is finally regulating the toxin. But the cost of remediation will be high and communities are turning toward litigation to pay for water treatment … (READ MORE)
Let Rivers Flood: Communities Adopt New Strategies for Resilience
New kinds of flood plans put nature back in charge, help populations adapt to a changing climate, reduce risk — and more … (READ MORE)
The Push to Repeal the Crude Export Ban Shows Shale Companies Are Getting Desperate
Plagued by low prices and overstretched by the drilling boom, oil companies are leading a push to repeal the longstanding crude export ban … (READ MORE)