Since 1996, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has intercepted naturally occurring briny water from entering the Dolores River and injected it into an underground well. As that well nears the end of its “useful life,” officials are investigating alternatives. They’ve recently extended a deadline for public comment on the future of the Paradox Valley Unit Salinity Control Program. We hear from Moab’s Colorado River Waterkeeper on how their proposed solutions might shape up basin-wide. And later in the news – many communities across the West are grappling with low, stagnant wages coupled with fast, rising home prices. Our partners at KDNK report on how the shortage of affordable housing options is affecting Carbondale, Colorado, where the average single family home price just topped one-million dollars.

[Photo: The Dolores River, Luke Runyon/KUNC]

Show Notes:

Paradox Valley Unit Salinity Control Program, Environmental Impact Statement –

https://www.usbr.gov/uc/envdocs/eis/Paradox/20191200-PVU_DEIS_Vol1_508.pdf

Paradox Valley Unit Background –

https://www.usbr.gov/uc/progact/paradox/index.html

Colorado River Waterkeeper Network –

http://savethecolorado.org/waterkeepers/

(2019) KUNC, ‘Felt An Earthquake On the Colorado-Utah Border? It’s Probably This Federal Facility’ –

https://www.kunc.org/post/felt-earthquake-colorado-utah-border-its-probably-federal-facility#stream/0

KDNK, ‘Carbondale’s Average Price for a Single-Family Home in 2019 tops $1 Million –

https://www.kdnk.org/post/carbondales-average-price-single-family-home-2019-tops-1-million