Colorado River

The water-rich Gila River Tribe near Phoenix is ​​flexing its political muscles in a drying West

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SACATON, Ariz. (AP) — Stephen Roe Lewis grew up seeing stacks of legal documents at the dinner table — often covering his tribe’s waters. His father, the late Rodney Lewis, was general counsel for the Gila River Indian Community and fought for the tribe’s rights to water in the Southwest, ultimately securing the largest Native … Read more

The American Drought Monitor is a crucial tool for the arid West. Can it keep up with climate change?

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Known for its glowing swaths of yellow, orange and red, the U.S. Drought Monitor has warned farmers, residents and officials across the country every week since 1999 of impending water shortages. Backed by data on soil moisture, temperature, snow cover, meltwater runoff, reservoir levels and more, the map has become an essential tool for determining … Read more