High Country News
High Country News is a nonprofit 501(c)3 independent media organization that covers the important issues and stories that define the Western United States. Our mission is to inform and inspire people to act on behalf of the West's diverse natural and human communities by providing unblinking journalism that shines a light on all of the complexities of the West.
Two Southwest tribes raise concerns over uranium storage
In Utah, a pool of toxic waste is emitting dangerous amounts of radon to the surrounding communities, including the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.
Powell’s looming power problem
Drought and demand threaten a critical component of the Western grid as Lake Powell approaches minimum power pool for the first time.
Indigenous feminism flows through the fight for water rights on the Rio Grande
An intergenerational group of Pueblo women lead the way on water policy along the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
The Los Angeles River’s overlooked anglers
Unhoused Angelenos use the urban river as a source of sustenance, but a proposal to revitalize the waterway could push them out.
As temperatures rise, Arizona sinks
The combination of groundwater pumping and warmer temperatures is shrinking aquifers and lowering water tables in Arizona.
‘This system cannot be sustained’
This year, tribal nations enter negotiations over Colorado River water.
Humans are great at giving real problems the side-eye
Two new books provide insights into the willful ignorance that lead to the West’s water woes.
California’s dream has turned into water nightmares
A new book looks at the Golden State’s history to understand its current water crisis.
Is renewable energy’s future dammed?
A proposed hydroelectric project on the Little Colorado River shows the tricky trade-offs in transitioning from fossil fuels.