agriculture

Across the Mountain West, where drought and shrinking reservoirs are putting pressure on already limited water supplies, decisions about who uses how much water often hinge on imperfect data. A nonprofit collaboration called OpenET hopes to change that.

Large farms in parts of the Colorado River Basin are paying little — and in some cases nothing — for federally supplied water, even as cities and residents are being asked to conserve, according to a new report.

Researchers are trying to find alternative uses for coal, like construction and farming. Proving that technology works is no small feat, but perhaps the trickier task is shifting how some people feel about coal.

Wyoming ranchers are testing GPS collars to help manage the movement of their livestock.

Levels of hazardous chemical pesticides in the nation’s groundwater are mostly on the decline, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report.

Potash and phosphate are now on the 2025 critical minerals list.

Trust lands are not the same as most public lands. Public access to them can be restricted, and they're managed primarily to make money, usually for public schools.

The Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule put conservation on equal footing with grazing and energy production. The Trump administration is trying to roll it back.

The local land trust is hosting an event to give community members a chance to test-drive the technology in real time. It’s also partnering with three local ranchers, who are giving virtual fencing a try for the next couple of years.

As predators like grizzly bears and gray wolves expand their ranges or are being recovered to more habitats, wildlife managers in the Mountain West are increasingly tasked with preventing conflicts between the animals and people. Some are turning to new strategies and technologies, including drones.