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Let’s Talk Climate Change And The Rio Grande

Marisa Demarco / KUNM
The Rio Grande riverbed in 2018, just south of Downtown Albuquerque. For reference, the treeline is where the riverbank would usually be, and all of the dirt pictured is often covered by water.

  Let’s Talk New Mexico 6/3 at 8 am: The Rio Grande is swelling right now, but looks can be deceiving. Climate change is drying out this lifeline in the high desert. The river is a highly managed water system, so flows are supplemented and the impacts of global warming aren't always immediately visible. But climate change is taking its toll, and local managers say those miles-long dry patches we’ve been seeing could grow larger and last longer. The annual flows may drop even further, leaving thirsty cottonwood trees, parched ecosystems and dry farms.

 

We want to hear from you! How can we make preserving the state's struggling rivers and dwindling water supply a priority for elected officials? Who controls the river’s water? How do we reverse the impacts of climate change in New Mexico?Do you agree with those who say the river has a right to its own water? And how can we reframe our thinking about natural resources? 

Join the conversation by emailing letstalk@kunm.org or call in live during the show, Thursday, June 3, at 8 a.m. on KUNM. 

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And a note: Host Marisa Demarco is also one of the artists behind “There Must Be Other Names For The River,” a song based on 50 years of flow data and online art installation for the UNM Art Museum. The piece aims to bring attention to water resources and the impacts of climate change along the Rio Grande. 

Marisa Demarco began a career in radio at KUNM News in late 2013 and covered public health for much of her time at the station. During the pandemic, she is also the executive producer for Your NM Government and No More Normal, shows focused on the varied impacts of COVID-19 and community response, as well as racial and social justice. She joined Source New Mexico as editor-in-chief in 2021.
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