No snowpack, no hay: In the northern Nevada, cattle feed is getting hard to come by, as sources of water diminish in supply. Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
The Far Reach Of The West's Drought The profound drought in the western U.S. has farms, cities and wildlife struggling. From dairy and cattle farmers to migrating birds, NPR explores how the state is coping in crisis.
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The Far Reach Of The West's Drought
There are about 2,000 dairy cows on Pete Olsen's fifth-generation farm in northern Nevada. A new milk processing plant is now putting pressure on Olsen and other dairy farmers to expand the size of their herds. But with the ongoing drought, farmers are struggling to get enough feed for the cows they already have. Kirk Siegler/NPR hide caption
Drought Could Dry Up Nevada Dairy Farmers' Expansion Plans
Extreme drought conditions in California have state officials looking for alternative sources of water, including desalinated ocean water. Richard Vogel/AP hide caption
The Search For Drinking Water In California Has Led To The Ocean
Rice farmer Douglas Thomas watches snow geese take flight over his rice fields in California's Central Valley. Lauren Sommer/KQED hide caption
Amid California Drought, Migrating Birds Enjoy Pop-Up Cuisine
The cracked-dry bed of the Almaden Reservoir is seen on Feb. 7 in San Jose, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption