Snow covers Deer Creek, near the the headwaters of the Snake River on Jan. 29, 2022, in Summit County. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)

Climate change is eroding work to clean up the Snake River. Is snowmaking making it worse? (Colorado Sun)

Feb. 16, 2022

A warmer, drier alpine is impeding water quality for streams and rivers used for snowmaking, like the Snake River that runs through Keystone. Diane McKnight is interviewed in this Colorado Sun story.

CU Boulder campus in fall colors with flatirons behind

New class of CU Distinguished Professors: Leaders in research, education, service (CU Connections)

Nov. 11, 2021

University’s highest faculty honor awarded to 11 professors for 2021, including INSTAARs Diane McKnight and Giff Miller.

Two mountain streams come together, one with rusty red acid rock drainage

More metals found in Summit County river due to climate change, scientists say (9NEWS)

Nov. 10, 2021

A first-of-its-kind study by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight suggests that warmer weather and less snowpack are causing higher concentrations of rare earth elements in the river.

CU Boulder campus building with fall tree colors

Six CU Boulder faculty members become distinguished professors (CU Boulder Today)

Nov. 5, 2021

Diane McKnight and Giff Miller are among those added to the roster of distinguished professors, the highest honor bestowed by the CU System. The award recognizes faculty who demonstrate exemplary performance in research or creative work; a record of excellence in promoting learning and student attainment of knowledge and skills; and outstanding service to the profession, the university and its affiliates.

Water exiting a mountain mine, with rust colored streambed

Climate change Is acidifying and contaminating drinking water and alpine ecosystems (Scientific American)

Nov. 5, 2021

Hotter, drier mountains leach more metal into streams from abandoned mines and natural deposits, finds a study by INSTAARs Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight.

Two mountain streams come together, one with rusty red acid rock drainage

New contamination concern for Colorado streams (EOS)

Oct. 14, 2021

Abandoned hardrock mines and climate change cause metals and other elements to leach into streams. They also put rare earth elements into the water, as found by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight in their new study.

Two mountain streams come together, one with rusty red acid rock drainage

Climate change increases rare earth elements in Colorado’s Snake River (High Country News)

Sept. 16, 2021

A new study by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight suggests lower stream flows, caused by climate change, as a primary culprit.

Diane McKnight kneeling by a streambed in the sub alpine

Congratulations to the 2021 AGU Union medal, award, and prize recipients (EOS)

Sept. 15, 2021

Diane McKnight is the recipient of the Robert E. Horton Medal, bestowed for outstanding contributions to hydrology

Photo of Sam Illingworth

Rare Earth Water (The Poetry of Science)

Sept. 4, 2021

An original poem and science podcast episode of The Poetry of Science, by Sam Illingworth, inspired by Garrett Rue and Diane McKnight's new paper reporting on climate change as a driver of acid rock drainage and rare earth element contamination of the Snake River, Colorado.

Students involved in Diane McKnight's ongoing research on water quality in the Snake River collect tracer samples along a tributary.

Rare earth elements and old mines spell trouble for Western water supplies

Aug. 30, 2021

Acid rock and mine drainage into Western streams is a problem. Climate change is making it worse.

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