Further Learning

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Explore our curated list of compelling reads—from the fight for water justice and the rivers that shape our landscapes, to the rich traditions of New Mexico’s acequia culture and the complex story of water in the American West.

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Discover our handpicked selection of films exploring New Mexico’s water stories, the Colorado River, dam removal, and more. Click on any film title or graphic to dive into the powerful narratives shaping our water future.

Water in the West

Requiem for a River (2023)

Requiem for a River explores the New Mexico stretch of the Rio Grande — an iconic but endangered American waterway — in a time of climate change and calls for environmental justice. Through lyrical imagery and in-depth interviews with a diverse range of residents — Native, Latinx, Indo-Hispanic and Anglo — this visually poetic documentary reveals the once-mighty river’s role as a lifeline in the desert and asks whether the keys to a more sustainable, equitable future lie in New Mexico’s ancient past.

DamNation (2014)

This documentary explores the growing movement to remove obsolete dams in the United States, focusing on the environmental and social benefits of restoring rivers. The film showcases the shift in public perception regarding dams, moving away from viewing them as engineering marvels towards recognizing their detrimental impact on river ecosystems and advocating for their removal.

Watershed (2012)

Executive produced and narrated by Robert Redford and directed by award-winning filmmaker Mark Decena, WATERSHED tells the story of the threats to the once-mighty Colorado River, and offers solutions for the future of the American West.

Beyond the Mirage: The Future of Water in the West (2016)

Examine emerging water conservation technologies and how they might offer solutions to the West’s water crisis. Through interviews with noted public policy and environmental experts, the one-hour documentary puts viewers at the center of this issue and prompts a candid discussion about water resources and the need for viable, sustainable solutions.

Thinking Like Water (2023)

Thinking Like Water offers the pioneering work of 88-year-old “water wizard” Bill Zeedyk, and his proteges and allies, who have continually devised ways of transforming degraded wetlands and drylands into more resilient ecosystems that help gird against drought and climate change.

Easy Like Water (2013)

Easy Like Water follows an innovative effort in Bangladesh to combat climate change through the “design for good” movement, using community-driven solutions to address rising environmental challenges. Blending humor and poignancy, the film reframes the developing world as a wellspring of creativity and resilience in the global fight for climate justice.

Blind Bird Singing Rain: Water Conservation and the Colorado River (2012)

This film follows Robert Perkins as he canoes down the Lower Colorado River, reflecting on the vanishing water supply and the often indifferent human response to this crisis. Blending poetic insight with personal encounters, Perkins crafts a meditative journey that raises urgent questions about our relationship with water, nature, and the future.

Water from the Wilderness: Hetch Hetchy to San Francisco Bay (2018)

The compelling story of how San Francisco secured its fabled water supply, the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park.

Return of the River (2014)

Return of the River tells the inspiring story of a passionate community that united to remove two dams and restore the Elwha River, achieving the largest dam removal in history. This hopeful documentary shows how bold environmental action once deemed impossible can become a celebrated path toward a more sustainable future.

New Mexico Water

Acequias: The Legacy Lives On (2023)

A visually stunning film about New Mexico’s enduring acequias as seen through the eyes of farmers, scholars, and advocates. Filmmaker, Arcie Chapa, wrote and directed a reverential tribute to acequias’ past, present, and future. The film unfolds through a series of storylines from their history to current challenges.

The Future of New Mexico Water Policy (2025)

On this week’s episode of Fronteras – A Changing America, KRWG’s Jonny Coker sits down with Dr. Phil King, engineering advisor for the Elephant Butte Irrigation District to talk about challenges facing New Mexico’s water supply, and to discuss solutions amidst drought conditions in the region.

Shaky NM Water Infrastructure; Power in Powwows (2025)

This week, NMPBS General Manager Franz Joachim lays out the facts on what President Trump’s executive order to end federal funding for public media could mean here at home. A water resource manager tells us why the El Vado Dam desperately needs repairs. The latest installment of our Indigenously Positive series uplifts the power of powwows.

Drought in NM (2025)

This week on Fronteras: A Changing America, we talk about how drought in New Mexico is creating fire conditions. Anthony Moreno talks with investigative journalist Jerry Redfern who covers the oil and gas industry and climate in New Mexico.

Water Justice

A mix of local, national, and international films dedicated to water justice topics.

The Water Haulers (2007)

This PBS documentary explores the Navajo Nation’s ongoing struggle to access clean, running water, despite a 2004 settlement granting them partial rights to the San Juan River in exchange for promised infrastructure. Through personal stories and expert analysis, the film highlights the deep cultural and political challenges of securing water as a basic human right in the American Southwest.

Water is Life (2023)

Created by Doña Ana Community College students in partnership with the Learning Action Buffet and funded by Rutgers University, this film explores the pressing issue of water scarcity in the borderland region. It sheds light on environmental equity challenges faced by communities living along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A River Between Us (2015)

This film documents the largest river restoration project in American history. Nearly three hundred miles in length, flowing from southern Oregon to northern California, the vast communities of the Klamath River have been feuding over its water for generations, and as a result, bad blood has polluted their river and their relationships equally. The film examines the complicated history of this conflict: how anger, fear and distrust have undermined the Klamath’s communities for decades.

Uma: A Water Crisis in Bolivia (2015)

UMA: A Water Crisis in Bolivia follows three Andean Indigenous communities as they resist water diversion and contamination fueled by government-backed mining in the midst of a national crisis. Centered on women’s voices, the film captures a powerful journey through Bolivia’s threatened landscapes in a fight for environmental justice and cultural survival.