KZMU News

When the seven US states depending on the Colorado River agreed to find ways to reduce the amount of water they draw from it, they did this against a complicated backdrop – rapid population growth and dwindling water supplies due to climate change. The situation is further complicated because the 1922 original agreement dividing the river between the states grossly overestimated how much water was actually in the river. Water managers now have until 2026 to come up with a new set of guidelines to manage the River. Those guidelines will include voluntary cutbacks of water use, but mandatory cutbacks could eventually become a reality. A taste of what may come is visible on one of the Colorado River’s tributaries.

[Photo: The Yampa, seen here flowing through Steamboat Springs, is considered the last free-flowing rivers in Colorado. Credit KGNU]

When the seven US states depending on the Colorado River agreed to find ways to reduce the amount of water they draw from it, they did this against a complicated backdrop – rapid population growth and dwindling water supplies due to climate change. The situation is further complicated because the 1922 original agreement dividing the river between the states grossly overestimated how much water was actually in the river. Water managers now have until 2026 to come up with a new set of guidelines to manage the River. Those guidelines will include voluntary cutbacks of water use, but mandatory cutbacks could eventually become a reality. A taste of what may come is visible on one of the Colorado River’s tributaries.

[Photo: The Yampa, seen here flowing through Steamboat Springs, is considered the last free-flowing rivers in Colorado. Credit KGNU]

During the winter, animals like deer and elk are on the move — migrating to more favorable habitats. Unfortunately, migration routes often cross highways and roads, leading to conflict with humans. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources plans to build more wildlife crossings this year to mitigate these conflicts.

Plus, over the holiday season Moabites banded together to support the memory of one unique local deer.

https://www.facebook.com/MoabsMelanisticDeer/

And later, this week’s Public Lands Corner compares and contrasts the camping experience in Baja California with the camping done closer to home.

Public Lands Corner Show Notes:

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/current/?type=flow

https://www.ksl.com/weather/snowpack

During the winter, animals like deer and elk are on the move — migrating to more favorable habitats. Unfortunately, migration routes often cross highways and roads, leading to conflict with humans. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources plans to build more wildlife crossings this year to mitigate these conflicts.

Plus, over the holiday season Moabites banded together to support the memory of one unique local deer.

https://www.facebook.com/MoabsMelanisticDeer/

And later, this week’s Public Lands Corner compares and contrasts the camping experience in Baja California with the camping done closer to home.

Public Lands Corner Show Notes:

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/current/?type=flow

https://www.ksl.com/weather/snowpack

We’re taking a winter break this week at KZMU News, and will return with new stories for the new year on Monday, January 6th. We have big plans for 2020 and we’d like our listeners to be there every step of the way. If you have any thoughts on what you’d like to hear covered by KZMU News in 2020, please don’t hesitate to drop a line to [email protected]. Thanks for keeping KZMU’s newscasts grassroots, local and community-powered!

We’re taking a winter break this week at KZMU News, and will return with new stories for the new year on Monday, January 6th. We have big plans for 2020 and we’d like our listeners to be there every step of the way. If you have any thoughts on what you’d like to hear covered by KZMU News in 2020, please don’t hesitate to drop a line to [email protected]. Thanks for keeping KZMU’s newscasts grassroots, local and community-powered!

*Saturday Extra* Regular listeners know that throughout the week we’ve aired our favorite feature stories of 2019, the best of KZMU News. Today we have our favorite Get An Earful from the past year. It was a difficult choice – there were many great conversations and longer interviews. But we’ve landed on our conversation with Ken Sleight, the 90 year old activist and legend. In this conversation, Sleight gives advice on how to stand up for what’s right. It first aired on Friday October 11, 2019.

Original Broadcast:

https://www.kzmu.org/ken-seldom-seen-sleight-on-get-an-earful/

*Saturday Extra* Regular listeners know that throughout the week we’ve aired our favorite feature stories of 2019, the best of KZMU News. Today we have our favorite Get An Earful from the past year. It was a difficult choice – there were many great conversations and longer interviews. But we’ve landed on our conversation with Ken Sleight, the 90 year old activist and legend. In this conversation, Sleight gives advice on how to stand up for what’s right. It first aired on Friday October 11, 2019.

Original Broadcast:

https://www.kzmu.org/ken-seldom-seen-sleight-on-get-an-earful/

This week, KZMU News reflects back on another year of grassroots, community-powered journalism. We’re airing some of our favorite stories of 2019, the best of KZMU News. Today we hear a feature story on the rise of graffiti and vandalism on public lands, and what regional experts say we need in order to curb it. This piece first aired on Wednesday, June 19th.

Original Broadcast:

https://www.kzmu.org/kzmu-news-wednesday-june-19-2019/

This week, KZMU News reflects back on another year of grassroots, community-powered journalism. We’re airing some of our favorite stories of 2019, the best of KZMU News. Today we hear a feature story on the rise of graffiti and vandalism on public lands, and what regional experts say we need in order to curb it. This piece first aired on Wednesday, June 19th.

Original Broadcast:

https://www.kzmu.org/kzmu-news-wednesday-june-19-2019/