Category: Infographics & the West

Historically and today, secessionist movements in the Northwestern US have had a particularly rural character. Here are a few recent examples.Continue readingSecessionists target low-population areas

Here is a map of all of the EV charging stations in California as of July 2021; while listed as “public,” a number of these stations, such as those in condo parking garages, are not open to non-resident access.Continue readingEvery Public EV Charging Station in California

Eight federal, state, regional and local water agencies worked quickly to forge creative partnerships during the 1977 drought crisis. These helped redirect water supplies and keep taps running in the Bay Area. Related article: How Ingenuity and Desperate Measures Kept Urban Water Flowing During the ‘77 DroughtContinue readingIn a Water Emergency, Replumbing the Bay Area

The state of California conducts regular aerial photographic surveys of the kelp canopy off of rocky coastlines. According to state surveys and closer study by researchers at UC Davis and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, kelp cover has declined drastically along the state’s northern coast. The map below shows the statewide picture over…Continue readingDiminishing Kelp Cover is a Warning Sign

Since 1994, when the EPA started to address uranium mine sites, cleanup efforts of mining sites have been slow.Continue readingUranium Mine Sites in the United States

The Klamath River Hydroelectric Project consists of four dams that were built between 1922 and 1964 to provide flood control and hydroelectric power. Their operator, PacifiCorp, has opted not to pursue a costly relicensing process that would keep them operating. While they continue to generate electricity and store water in three reservoirs, they have extremely…Continue readingTwo Hundred Miles From the Ocean, a Gauntlet of Dams

As technology has advanced and the demand has grown for video streams for teleconferencing, telemedicine, and binge-watching, the Federal Communications Commission has steadily raised the threshold for what it defines as “high-speed” broadband internet service. Since 2019, 25 megabits per second download and 4 megabits up has been the FCC’s target. Most delivery technologies have…Continue readingDefining ‘Broadband’ Internet

Conservation easements of various kinds cover more than 22 million acres of land in the United States, according to the National Conservation Easement Database, a public-private partnership. Take a look at our interactive map of nearly every conservation easement, with details on over 130,000 sites.Continue readingConservation Easements Redraw the Western Landscape

Read article: The Southwest’s Orphan Disease Thrives on IgnoranceContinue readingMapping Valley Fever