Environment

Cities are growing, and wildlife is moving in right alongside people. From bats and raccoons to coyotes and pigeons, animals are adapting to urban life in new ways. Texas Public Radio’s Tim Gutierrez spoke to one author who says cities may be among the most important ecosystems in the country.

Texas Democrats are urging the Trump administration to delay its plans for building border barriers and roads across the West Texas park. Bulldozers and trucks bearing the logo of the contractor awarded $1.7 billion for the project were seen in the national park on Tuesday as local activists warn construction could start at any moment.

August is traditionally a hot, dry month in Texas, which can lead to high fire danger. KTTZ’s Charley Maranville reports the state is finding ways to prepare for the month ahead. You can find wildfire preparedness tips here. A coalition of environmental groups says raising public awareness of prairies could help spur conservation efforts. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on how prairies serve the people who live by them.

Lake Meredith, near Amarillo is a municipal water source for eleven cities, including Lubbock. Last month it was designated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. Our Samantha Larned reports the mussels are known to impact infrastructure, such as pipes used for water treatment.

Lake Meredith, near Amarillo, was recently designated as “fully infested” with invasive zebra mussels. The mussels have been spreading across Texas for more than 15 years and Lake Meredith is the north-most body of water in the state to be infected. TPWD says the mussels have the potential to damage treatment equipment in what is a municipal water source for the region, but water officials with the lake say they're prepared.

In some parts of Kansas, groundwater is polluted with enough nitrates that it can fulfill some of the fertilizing needs for farmers.

New federal rules for dicamba aim to help cotton and soybean farmers control weeds. But the herbicide, which can kill other crops and trees, remains controversial.

Repairs to vital infrastructure were abruptly put on hold with little explanation, impacting the park's most popular area.

Scaled quail – also known as blue quail and “cottontops” – are quintessential creatures of the arid grasslands and the dominant quail species in West Texas. Researchers at Alpine’s Borderlands Research Institute are learing how adaptable these seemingly vulnerable creatures are.

The West Texas Veterans State Cemetery is open for burial services starting today. KTTZ’s Riley Wilson reports Burials may take place Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, with the main office being open from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. A pre-registration packet with more information can be found here. An environmental group wants the federal government to consider the health impacts of legal nitrate contamination in public drinking water. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen has more on the report finding nearly one-fifth of Americans rely on community water supplies that showed elevated nitrate in recent years.