Drought woes have eased in the Midwest after a wet spring, but the far West,  California in particular, are facing continued dry conditions. California has reported its driest year to-date on record, with only 27 percent of normal precipitation for January through April.

Addressing the Rio Grande Roundtable on Tuesday, Rio Grande National Forest staff including Forest Supervisor Dan Dallas talked about how the current spruce beetle epidemic is affecting the forest presently and how it could potentially affect the landscape and watershed in the future. They also talked about what the Forest Service and other agencies are doing about the problem.

A New Mexico report on managing water scarcity calls on water utilities to "have long-term planning on rates and conservation actions when accessing federal loans or funds to reduce waste and reflect the value of water." Developed during the 2012 New Mexico Water Conference and released by Sen.

Something odd happened in Austin, Texas last week. It rained. But the relief, an answer to desperate prayers, is likely to be short-lived. The drought that has gripped much of Texas since the fall of 2010 shows few signs of abating soon.

New Mexico is facing a potentially devastating wildfire season this year after experiencing record-setting fires during the last two years. This season is shaping up to be one of the worst as a decade of drought drains moisture from forest fuels and average temperatures continue to rise, The Albuquerque Journal reported.