Historically, natural cycles drove the occurrence of megadroughts in the American West. But human influences are also at work.
Science
The Purcell Lobe
The Purcell Lobe was notable because it blocked off the Clark Fork River, creating a massive ice dam over 2000 feet tall. The dam caused water to back up in western Montana, forming Lake Missoula
Subsidence
The problem of over pumping and land subsidence is global, driven by various combinations of ignorance and greed.
Yellowstone: Statistics Versus Climate Change
I personally think we will see an increasing frequency of major flooding In Yellowstone Park
La Niña Keeps on Coming
La Niña conditions, which started two years ago, are set to continue according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean are near record intensity for this time of year.
Barents Sea Hot Spot
A warming Barents Sea is everyone’s problem because what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.
A New Start in the Triassic
Geological history drew a line in the sand 252 million years ago. The Permian Period ended, and the Triassic began.
Life Crashes as the Permian Ends
The Permian Period came to a catastrophic end 252 million years ago with the extinction of 95 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of terrestrial species.
Permian Water World
The Permian water world contained one massive continent, Pangea, and a single vast ocean stretching around the globe from coast to coast.
Carboniferous Cooling
The biosphere and our environment are in a constant dance of self-regulation. Carboniferous cooling at the end of the period is a classic example of a self-regulating cycle.