DENVER, Colorado, April 9 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's U.S. Forest Service unit - Rio Grande National Forest - issued the following news release: Acting Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien announced and signed an order to temporarily close developed recreation sites and an order to implement fire restrictions within the Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region to align with local, state and federal orders and guidelines to protect public health and safety. The region includes 24 nation  more

KEMMERER, Wyoming, April 8 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fossil Butte National Monument issued the following news release: Fossil Butte National Monument is announcing modifications to operations in response to guidance from the Governor and Wyoming Department of Health to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Effective Saturday, April 4, 2020, until further notice, the following services and operations will be suspended: * Closure of the Visitor Center * All in-pe  more

MILLS, Wyoming, April 10 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation issued the following news release: The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation has prepared the April snowmelt runoff forecasts and operating plans for the North Platte River Basin. The April forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff will be above average. Total April through July runoff in the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 1,278,000 acre-feet (af), which is 134% o  more

WASHINGTON, April 8 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service announced that it intends to award a $600,000 cooperative agreement to the University of Wyoming, a member of the Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, for acoustic monitoring of bats at the Niobrara National Scenic River in Nebraska; Missouri National Recreational River in Nebraska and South Dakota; Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota; and Badlands National Park, Jewel Cave National Monume  more