Post-tornado paddle

Spotted from Bluff, UT

“A lake full of boats is better than a canyon full of air.” — @brenorbrophy.com, channeling Floyd Dominy

Got to see Neil and MJ in the last three days, and even MJ playing Neil. It’s gonna take a lot of love.

I called Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang a young-adult novel and they printed it in the Washington Post www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/0...

🚂 ⏱️

We’ve been closer to minimum probable than mid the last few years. Just sayin’ 👀

Reclamation's updated reservoir projections were released today. Lake Powell could hit all-time lows next summer, threatening hydropower generation at the Glen Canyon Dam.

Low water levels in Lake Powell allowed invasive, predatory smallmouth bass to pass through the Glen Canyon Dam and into the Grand Canyon several years ago, threatening endangered humpback chub. Warmer releases from the dam have also likely benefitted chub, according to new study. 1/2

Incredible journey

Thanks to @azfamily.com for asking me to talk about design flaws in the Glen Canyon Dam and the ecological rebirth of Glen Canyon www.youtube.com/watch?v=yur0...

"wherever little children are hungry and cry wherever people ain't free wherever men are fighting for their rights that's where I'm a'gonna be, ma, that's where I'm a'gonna be" www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozBU...

Thanks to Out West Books for the kind review in @coloradosun.com coloradosun.com/2025/07/27/o...

My NYT op-ed this morning I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/o...

@landdesk.bsky.social explains the Colorado River Compact of 1922 open.substack.com/pub/landdesk...

I’m at the #GrandCanyon South Rim today, talking to people about the #DragonBravo fire that yesterday closed the North Rim for 2025 & burned its historic lodge. 💔 Do you have memories at the North Rim? Thoughts/worries/theories about what happened? —> [email protected]; 435-231-4840

Lake Powell is growing increasingly toxic. The only solution is to tear down the dam and create a Glen Canyon National Restoration Area. www.nps.gov/glca/learn/n...

The federal contract with Aramark on Lake Powell is hopelessly corrupt. The only solution is to tear down the dam and create a Glen Canyon National Restoration Area www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-...

People always talk about losing the ability to read books, which seems bad, but they don’t tell you that if you stop writing emails for a few months, you’ll lose that ability too, which is pretty nice

Seems like he’s doing popularism

A bit of Iran history from a few years back

Only 9 are worthy

Incredibly kind words from the great Ben Goldfarb, whose writing I had in mind when I wrote about beavers on the first page of LADP. Ben’s work follows the facts to imagine a better environmental future, which helped inspire me to attempt the same for Glen Canyon.

Just finished this @zakpodmore.bsky.social insta-classic of western enviro lit. Hugely important book right now, not only for its masterful blend of Colorado River history & hydrology, but also its encouragement to imagine bigger, bolder futures. Let a free-flowing Glen Canyon, like Hayduke, live!

It’s called xeriscaping

This happened to me

MAGA Utah 🚮

In 2003, I saw HST speak at an anti-Iraq War rally when I was a high school sophomore. Couldn’t hear a word he said but maybe he was making a point

Trump became president tonight (derogatory)

Oh no, what if we end up with a debt-to-GDP ratio that preceded the greatest period of economic growth in modern history???

Caroline Dias Goncalves was pulled over in Colorado for a traffic violation and let go with a warning. A few miles down the road, she was stopped again, this time by ICE agents, who said they were taking her. A relative says she was given no reason why.

🥈

Thank you to Les Roka for his very kind and thoughtful piece on LIFE AFTER DEAD POOL in the Utah Review: www.theutahreview.com/torrey-house...

Facts

The Upper Basin could agree to the Glen Canyon Dam modifications the Lower Basin wants and probably get some concessions to avoid the tripwire legal battle. But it seems likely they’ll dig in their heels and risk losing both Lake Powell and the court case

Voting ends Saturday!

It’s a great honor to see LIFE AFTER DEAD POOL shortlisted for the Reading the West Book Award alongside so many writers I admire, including Kevin Fedarko and Rebecca Nagle. Voting is open: readingthewest.com/35th-annual-... #readingthewest #readingthewestbookawards

Why then do you try to “enlarge” your mind? Subtilize it.

Leprechaun hunting 🍀

The writing shack

Come float Cataract Canyon with me on September 7! www.bikeraft.com/specialty-ri...

“It’s clear to me that this is not about the money,” writes Ogden author Kase Johnstun in an op-ed. “It’s an anti-intellectual, propagandist and ideological gutting of programs that ask people to use critical thinking to improve their communities.”

Keeping Carter’s legacy alive www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/wa...

👑 🐟

Checking out some original recipe populism. youtu.be/hphgHi6FD8k?...

The solution to the male loneliness epidemic is bringing back the motorcycle with sidecar. Put your friend in there, or a dog with goggles.

finally hit the big time

Desert rain, the first we’ve had in months in southeast Utah. 📷: Paul Martini