The summer of 2002 featured the worst drought in Arizona in nearly a century. It triggered a fire that burned over a half-million acres of National Forest land. It dried up watering holes and forced ranchers to cut their stock by up to a third. Wells ran dry and municipalities had to open water stations, much like gas stations. During that summer, producer Lex Gillespie toured Arizona and spoke with firefighters, park service personnel, farm families and community leaders about the impact of the drought. In an effort to anticipate future droughts, Arizona policy makers were turning to climatologists to understand weather patterns. Projecting out, researchers forecast a better winter, one that would produce much needed snow caps that would feed water reservoirs. We hear from scientists at the National Weather Service and climate modelers and water management specialists at the University of Arizona. So what happened? Join us for a story about the science of prediction.

The Soundprint documentary series features the best work of top radio producers. The award winning documentaries are renowned for drawing the listener into the story with compelling interviews, authentic voices and rich sound. From memoirs to science, health and popular culture, Soundprint creates a powerful experience the listener will not soon forget.