
Scientists in the East River watershed collect ‘mountains of data’ to understand water in the West
Over 150 scientists will research snow and water for two years near Crested Butte, Colorado. The project tracking weather patterns from ‘atmosphere to bedrock’ is the first of its kind.

Discarded solar panels will help refugees charge their phones.
Solar panels degrade over time, but they’re still good for some purposes. Recently, a group of students at Western helped one professor convert discarded solar panels into cell phone chargers. The chargers will go to Ukraine and Poland as part of a relief effort.

Community Matters: Monday, May 16th
This episode of Community Matters featured interviews with Alex Hager, water reporter for KUNC and Rocky Mountain Community Radio; Brooke MacMillan, Artistic Director at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts, and Megha Nayar, one of the writers selected to participate in the Center’s residency program.

New bill aims to boost tribal access to clean water
Two recent moves aim to benefit water access for tribal communities in the Colorado River basin.

For this summer’s water forecast, climate experts are looking back to winter
Summer is right around the corner, and climate experts are starting to get an idea of how much water will be available in the West’s most important river. Experts are looking at high-mountain snow for a sense of drought conditions in the months to come.