The History of Cochiti Lake from the Pueblo Perspective

Regis Pecos revolves around the history and construction of the town of Cochiti Lake, the article is a summary of a presentation for the Ulton Transboundary Resources Center, Rio Grande Reservoir Symposium on April 22, 2006. Regis Pecos shares four major issues over the course of the last 50 years that have been an incredible set of experiences for the people of Cochiti Pueblo. He first brought up the Flood Control Act of 1960 which authorized the construction of Cochiti Lake. Regis argues that the construction of the lake had a number of negative impacts, “It was complicated by a number of other circumstances, which all converged and culminated in ways that were just incredibly devastating and in the most tragic way led to our fight for survival.”(pg 4) He then brings up the pueblo’s perspective of opposing the construction. 

Regis Pecos, The History of Cochiti Lake from the Pueblo Perspective, 47 Nat. Resources J. 639 (2007). Available at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nrj/vol47/iss3/7 

Fires threaten Indigenous lands in desiccated Northwest

This author focuses on places throughout Oregon, California, and Washington, focusing on some of the Native American Tribes that were impacted by the fires. Multiple tribes went into states of emergency, and were nearly helpless as a community. The wildfires within these areas, “have destroyed homes and burned through about 1562 square miles.” One community that is mentioned is the Klamath Tribe who have already experienced fires in the past that have damaged land where they hunt, fish, and gather. Another fire in Chelan County was threatening 1,500 homes, and people were forced to evacuate. This article made me think of the possibilities and damages that could be done if another fire were to occur and reach into my community. This article shows the tragic things that Native communities were challenged with in the western states. I would never want my community to go through these things because not only did these native communities lose beautiful land, they even experienced forms of cultural loss, being unable to perform their ceremonies, being unable to take part in agriculture, and even losing sacred places of worship within those areas that were damaged from the fire. 

“Fires Threaten Indigenous Lands in Desiccated Northwest.” AP NEWS, 15 July 2021, apnews.com/article/science-fires-environment-and-nature-climate-change-wildfires-9c9bb176cb77a51d8ba8e62df7a3fc01.

The recent New Mexico wildfires can be compared to these Australian bushfires in several ways. Both areas had wildfires that were caused by natural factors exacerbated by human activity. The New Mexico wildfires were caused by a combination of drought, high temperatures, and lightning strikes, while the Australian wildfires were caused by a combination of drought, high temperatures, and human activity such as land clearing and arson. Both areas also had a significant impact on the native wildlife in the affected areas. In New Mexico, the wildfires caused the displacement and death of many animals, including deer, elk, and black bears. In Australia, the bushfires killed an estimated 1 billion animals. 

Smriti Mallapaty discusses the impact of the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires on the carbon cycle. The author notes that the fires emitted around 715 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to Australia’s annual greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors. According to this article, “The unprecedented fires burnt across as much as 74,000 square kilometres of mostly eucalyptus, or gum, forest in southeast Australia—an area larger than Sri Lanka.”The article describes how the bushfires which burned over 12 million hectares of land, were caused by a combination of record breaking heatwaves, prolonged drought, and strong winds. The intense heat from the fires caused the combustion of vegetation and organic matter, leading to the release of large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The smoke from the fires also caused air pollution, which had harmful effects on human health. Mallapaty also notes that these fires could have long term effects on the country’s carbon budget, potentially reversing some of the country’s recent gains in reducing carbon emissions. Overall the article emphasizes the need for improved land management practices and increased efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 

Mallapaty, Smriti. “Australian Bush Fires Belched out Immense Quantity of Carbon.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 16 Sept. 2021, 

Comparing recent wildfires in New Mexico to the Amazon forest fires requires considering several factors, including the size, intensity, location, and impacts of the fire. The Amazon forest fires were some of the largest wildfires ever recorded, covering an area of approximately 906,000 hectares. The amazon forest is a unique ecosystem with a high level of biodiversity, making the impact of fires on the environment and wildfire particularly significant. New Mexico, while also having significant ecological importance, does not have the same level of biodiversity. The causes of wildfires in the two regions also differ, the Amazon forest fires were largely caused by human activities such as deforestation, while wildfires in New Mexico were caused by factors, including natural causes and human activities. The Amazon fires caused significant ecological damage, destroyed wildlife habitats, and released large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. 

Jake Spring reviews the causes and consequences of fires and deforestation within the amazon rainforest, noting that the Amazon is one of the world’s most important ecosystems, playing a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s climate and harboring a cast array of plant and animal species. The rainforest has come under increasing threat in recent years due to deforestation, which is driven by various factors that include logging, cattle ranching, and soy farming. The article describes how deforestation in the Amazon has led to increased fire risk, as areas that are cleared of trees become drier and more prone to ignition. The fires, in turn, release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to global climate change. The article states that in 2019, the Amazon experienced the highest number of fires in a decade, with many of the fires believed to have been deliberately set to clear land for agriculture. Another focus of the video is the communities that live in the Amazon These communities rely on the forest for their livelihoods and cultural practices, and are often displaced or marginalized by the forces driving deforestation. The loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services also have impacts beyond the region, affecting global climate and the well being of people around the world. 

“As the Amazon Burns, Only the Weather Can Ward off a Catastrophe, Experts Say.” Mongabay Environmental News, 26 July 2022,