Brandon Loomis
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brandonloomis.bsky.social
Brandon Loomis
@brandonloomis.bsky.social
1.1K followers 180 following 99 posts
Senior environment reporter at The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com, covering the Colorado River, natural resources, wild things and people of the Southwest.
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brandonloomis.bsky.social
Can fish survive West's megadrought? They'll need help from humans

www.azcentral.com/story/news/e...
Can fish survive West's megadrought? They'll need help from humans
Gila trout, a species threatened by climate change and worsening wildfires, persist in the Southwest with a big assist from volunteers.
www.azcentral.com
September 8, 2026 at 4:26 PM
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Another jaguar spotted on Arizona border. Is it an elusive female cat?

www.azcentral.com/story/news/e...
Another jaguar spotted on Arizona border. Is it an elusive female cat?
An ecologist reviewing trail cam footage saw what he thinks was a female jaguar on the U.S.-Mexico border.
www.azcentral.com
September 4, 2026 at 3:48 PM
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Forget the myths about bats. These flying mammals are good for Arizona

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Forget the myths about bats. These flying mammals are good for Arizona
Arizona ranks second in the country for bat diversity, with a new species detected as recently as last year.
www.azcentral.com
August 28, 2026 at 3:32 PM
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Dragon Bravo Fire burned more than just Grand Canyon Lodge. Now restoration crews and volunteers are working to keep a special place from eroding away.
www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
The race is on to restore a spring-fed creek torched by Dragon Bravo
The Dragon Bravo Fire burned a high-severity path through one of only two streams that flow year-round on the North Kaibab, near the Grand Canyon.
www.azcentral.com
August 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM
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www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Feds release Colorado River plan. Here's how much Arizona will lose
The Interior Department released its two-year operating plan with the expected cuts on the lower Colorado River.
www.azcentral.com
August 21, 2026 at 6:24 PM
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Judge rules against Tohono O’odham Nation on border wall construction

www.azcentral.com/story/news/p...
Judge rules against Tohono O’odham Nation on border wall construction
A judge denied the Tohono O’odham Nation's request to halt border wall construction through its tribal lands.
www.azcentral.com
August 15, 2026 at 4:32 PM
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A reminder that fish are another casualty of the Colorado River crisis:

Feds nix Grand Canyon fish protection flows below Lake Powell

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Feds nix Grand Canyon fish protection flows below Lake Powell
Over the last two years, federal water officials have released cool water from Lake Powell to thwart invasive bass spawning downstream. Not this year.
www.azcentral.com
August 7, 2026 at 6:10 PM
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I chatted with USA Today podcast host Dana Taylor for this explainer on how the Colorado River crisis and a new federal plan for dealing with it could affect the Southwest.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Xm...
Colorado River cuts could reach far beyond the West | The Excerpt
YouTube video by USA TODAY
www.youtube.com
August 6, 2026 at 12:23 AM
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www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Arizona would lose the most in proposed Colorado River drought plan
The Bureau of Reclamation released its long-awaited Colorado River drought plan, targeting Lower Basin states for cuts.
www.azcentral.com
July 31, 2026 at 3:43 PM
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www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
New pipeline will let Arizona recover banked Colorado River water
Arizona cities banked Colorado River water underground when the river gave more than they needed. Now a pipeline will help get it where it's needed.
www.azcentral.com
July 31, 2026 at 3:03 PM
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Feds set to unveil Colorado River plan. How it could hit Arizona

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Feds set to unveil Colorado River plan. How it could hit Arizona
Arizona, California and Nevada face reductions in water supply as the Trump administration readies a Colorado River plan. More conflict lies ahead.
www.azcentral.com
July 25, 2026 at 4:18 PM
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Arizona's San Pedro River runs dry for the second time in 122 years

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Arizona's San Pedro River runs dry for the second time in 122 years
For only the second time in 122 years, the Charleston measuring gauge on the San Pedro River has registered zero.
www.azcentral.com
July 11, 2026 at 11:58 PM
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The Colorado River continues to shrink. Hear who's most affected

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
The Colorado River continues to shrink. Hear who's most affected
Even the stop-gap solutions on the river carry a price. Hear from the people who are hit hardest.
www.azcentral.com
July 11, 2026 at 1:01 PM
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Lake Powell is on life support as the West vies for what water remains

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Lake Powell is on life support as the West vies for what water remains
The same 40 million people up and down the Colorado River are lining up for an ever-shrinking supply of water.
www.azcentral.com
July 6, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Brandon Loomis
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Wildfires: a new thing to...bet on? My latest for @highcountrynews.org www.hcn.org/articles/peo...
People are betting on wildfires. Should they? - High Country News
Fire survivors say “it’s morally reprehensible,” and experts worry the wagering could lead to arson.
www.hcn.org
June 29, 2026 at 6:12 PM
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Dragon Bravo Fire broke hearts, but Grand Canyon shows its resilience

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Dragon Bravo Fire broke hearts, but Grand Canyon shows its resilience
The Dragon Bravo Fire burned across 150,000 acres and destroyed the historic lodge at the North Rim, but work to repair it started almost immediately.
www.azcentral.com
June 29, 2026 at 6:20 PM
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Invasive trees fuel Arizona fires. What's being done to curb them

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Invasive trees fuel Arizona fires. What's being done to curb them
This wildfire season, brushy tamarisks, also known as salt cedars, are a catalyst for Arizona blazes that foul the air with acrid smoke.
www.azcentral.com
May 17, 2026 at 2:37 PM
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Sandhill cranes plot new paths to weather the warmer, drier West.

Arizona Republic story by Sarah Henry, photos and videos (with all the squawks) by Mark Henle.

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Sandhill cranes plot new paths to weather the warmer, drier West
Thousands of sandhill cranes migrate across the West every year, but in a long drought, some are plotting new routes.
www.azcentral.com
May 11, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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I grew up in a town where lots of people got their entire water supply from their rooftop … because we got 13 feet of rain a year. From the where-there’s-a-will-there’s-a-way files, here’s a story I wrote about a couple who does it in Tucson, with just a foot per year.
Rainwater fills most of these Arizonans' household needs. Here's how
A Tucson couple has lived almost entirely on rainwater for two decades. Is their method part of Arizona's future?
www.azcentral.com
March 2, 2026 at 5:08 PM
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The West has been in a 32-year drought. But it may be worse than that

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
The West has been in a 32-year drought. But it may be worse than that
A drought has a beginning and an end. What's happening in the West doesn't seem to have an end, so what is it?
www.azcentral.com
March 2, 2026 at 4:42 PM
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‘Unprecedented times' at Glen Canyon Dam could push power costs higher

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
'Unprecedented times' at Glen Canyon Dam could push power costs higher
Water levels at Lake Powell continue to fall as drought persists, pitting fish survival against power demands.
www.azcentral.com
February 28, 2026 at 4:37 PM
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The states that share the Colorado River have failed to reach a deal by the federal government's deadline. What's next? More talk, but also the possibility of a long court battle while climate change continues to threaten reservoir storage and users.

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Colorado River states tell feds 'no deal' on water shortage plan
A Valentine's Day deadline will pass without shortage-sharing agreement among the seven Colorado River states, raising the specter of lawsuits.
www.azcentral.com
February 13, 2026 at 7:34 PM
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Arizona environmentalists and AG say state will suffer more drought, fire, pollution risks with rollback of greenhouse gas regulation.

Trump EPA moves to end limits on pollution caused by greenhouse gases

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Trump EPA moves to end limits on pollution caused by greenhouse gases
The president signaled his intention to repeal the pollution rules more than a year ago.
www.azcentral.com
February 12, 2026 at 9:32 PM
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Condors soar over the Grand Canyon, kept aloft despite lead ammo threat

www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...
Condors soar over the Grand Canyon, kept aloft despite lead ammo threat
The California condor nearly went extinct, and remains imperiled by the threat of poisoning from lead ammunition.
www.azcentral.com
February 2, 2026 at 4:07 PM
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First Chinese EV I’ve spotted in the U.S., up from Sonora to ski White Mountains, Arizona.
A BYD car from Mexico at Sunrise Park ski area. First honest EV I e noticed in Arizona. A BYD car from Mexico at Sunrise Park ski area. First honest EV I e noticed in Arizona.
February 1, 2026 at 8:11 PM