Originally Published by The Nevada Independent

Writing about water in Nevada usually revolves around the lack of the life-sustaining liquid — despite an epic winter, portions of Southern Nevada remain in drought; the future of the beleaguered Colorado River remains uncertain; and basins across the state are over appropriated. 

But over the summer, a Northern Nevada scientist took members of The Indy to look at something unique in Nevada — the surprise return of water to a once active hot spring and geyser. We visited the site again in the fall and saw the amount of water bubbling up had increased. Reno’s Steamboat Hot Springs is fascinating not only because of its storied history, but also because of the role hot springs play in the search for life on other planets.