Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
My August 2025 visit served as a sobering reminder that even the most timeless landscapes face unprecedented challenges. The smoke that obscured my familiar view wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a symptom of broader changes affecting the entire Southwest. Climate is increasing fire risk year-round, with droughts becoming more common partly from rising temperatures in the state that evaporate water from streams.
The low water levels I observed in the Rio Grande tell a similar story. While natural variation in precipitation has always been part of life in the high desert, the combination of reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, and increased evaporation is creating new challenges for both the ecosystem and the ever growing human communities that depend on this water.
Yet there was something hopeful about watching those rafters navigate the low water conditions with such obvious joy. Adaptation, resilience, the ability to find adventure and beauty even when conditions aren't perfect—these are qualities that have always defined life in the American Southwest.
nmosg.com
My August 2025 visit served as a sobering reminder that even the most timeless landscapes face unprecedented challenges. The smoke that obscured my familiar view wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a symptom of broader changes affecting the entire Southwest. Climate is increasing fire risk year-round, with droughts becoming more common partly from rising temperatures in the state that evaporate water from streams.
The low water levels I observed in the Rio Grande tell a similar story. While natural variation in precipitation has always been part of life in the high desert, the combination of reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, and increased evaporation is creating new challenges for both the ecosystem and the ever growing human communities that depend on this water.
Yet there was something hopeful about watching those rafters navigate the low water conditions with such obvious joy. Adaptation, resilience, the ability to find adventure and beauty even when conditions aren't perfect—these are qualities that have always defined life in the American Southwest.
nmosg.com
