Geography of the United States

The National Parks Service advises visitors to stay 25 yards (23 meters) away from wild bison.Image: Mark Ralston (Getty Images)To “gore” is to “pierce or wound with something pointy (such as a horn or knife),” according to Merriam-Webster dictionary. With that context, I can now tell you that a 71-year-old woman was gored by a bison this week in Yellowstone National Park.On June 29, tourists from West Chester, Pennsylvania were visiting Storm Point at Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The…

Low water levels at Lake Mead. Photo: Mario Tama (Getty Images)Lake Mead’s water levels have reached a new low. This time, the reservoir’s levels are as low as they were back in 1936 when it was developed.Data from the Bureau of Reclamation shows that water levels in the reservoir, which sits on the border of Arizona and Nevada along the Colorado River, were about 1,044 feet above sea level this week. Water levels last month stood at 1,047.69 feet—that’s more than 20 feet below levels at this time in 2021, which was also…

A washed-out road in Yellowstone National Park after flooding and mudslides.Photo: National Park Service (AP)Intense rain over Yellowstone National Park yesterday caused severe flooding that triggered massive mudslides, damaged roads, and even swept away a bridge. Conditions are so dangerous that park officials had to evacuate visitors and shut down the park, NPR reports. Damage has been reported across the park in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Parts of Yellowstoneare also experiencing power outages. This is the first…

A mountain meadow in Summit County, Colorado in 2021.Photo: JASON CONNOLLY/AFP (Getty Images)Colorado is going to become hotter, dryer, and a lot less skiable in just a few decades, according to new research.The study, published in Earth and Space Science, used climate models to forecast the future of snow in Colorado, finding that the state is set to lose 50% to 60% of its snow by 2080, thanks to climate change-related drought conditions. Nearby states Wyoming and Utah are also likely tobecome less snowy and more arid,…

The Castaic Lake reservoir in Los Angeles County has low water levels. Photo: Mario Tama (Getty Images)California’s ongoing megadrought—which has already led to water restrictions—is also going to start affecting the state’s ability to generate hydropower. This could raise energy costs for residents and increase emissions, CNN reports.There are already signs of a difficult summer to come. Outlooks from the U.S. Energy Information Administration found that hydropower would make up only 8% of the state’s total power…