The centerpiece of Mesa Verde National Park, Cliff Palace was discovered in the late 1800s. Park archaeologists noticed a small crack in the masonry and then discovered the north wall was leaning precariously into the structure.
Southwest Ecology
Fire suppression, human activity among factors for West’s large forest fires, study finds
Research derived from ponderosa pine forests in the Southwest indicates that while low-severity surface fires are common historically, today’s large-scale forest fires are enabled by fire-suppression efforts and other human activities.
Feds urged to release Mexican wolves into Arizona, New Mexico to preserve species, ecosystem
The benefits of releasing captive-bred Mexican wolves into the wild include support of wolf reintroduction efforts in the Southwest and ecosystem balance, groups say.
Western water report suggests policy changes to foster Colorado River Basin resource sharing
A report focusing on agricultural, urban and environmental water use in the West suggests several ways to share and transfer water among traditionally competing interests.
Scripps: Climate change, water use threaten Lake Mead, Lake Powell
An unusually dry year or sustained drought would mean unstable and variable water deliveries for a system that relies on the huge reservoirs Lake Mead in Arizona/Nevada and Lake Powell in Arizona/Utah.
UNM study: El Niño-mediated winter storms produced wet climate in Chihuahuan Desert
The findings dramatically alter the climatic framework used by geologists reconstructing past climate change; archaeologists describing human responses to environmental change; and water managers tasked with balancing environmental, agricultural and urban water needs in drought-stressed southwestern North America.
Mexican gray wolf population declines for third successive year
The number of endangered Mexican gray wolves confirmed in the wild declined for the third successive year as a result of trapping and shooting by the U.S. government.