The state’s snowpack sits at 84% as of March . Not too terrible, right? While this is an improvement from a month ago, Colorado has experienced nine straight months of above-average temperatures combined with 11 months of below-average precipitatio. And 100% of the state remains in drough as of March 4.
The prolonged drying and warming trend makes our soil really, really thirsty. As snows melts and rain begins to fall, the soil soaks up all the moisture, leaving less water to flow into local rivers. We see this happening in Colorado. In December, the Animas River near Durango saw the lowest stream flows in 109 year of record keeping. And forecasters don’t see relief on the horizon. The National Weather Service’s long-term climate forecas predict months of continued above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation.
All these trends have fire officials and emergency workers concerned for another frightening fire season. Although the winter of 2019-20 offered up a relatively average snowpac, the summer and fall of 2020 saw Colorado’s three largest wildfires burn more than a half-million acres. The entire state was blanketed with smoke from fires near and far, and the lack of summer rainfall created parched soils in advance of this season’s lackluster snowfall.
Already, state legislators are working on bills that address wildfire prevention, relief and suppression, including the purchase of a specialized firefighting helicopter. The idea is to get the bills passed before the start of wildfire season. Additional funding would support watershed protection, a critical need in the face of major wildfires. A fire-scarred landscape is more susceptible to erosion. And when snow melts or rain falls, eroding ash and sediment muck up water supplies.
In the first two years following the 2002 Hayman Fire, water providers spent $25 millio removing sediment and debris from Cheeseman Reservoir, a major source of drinking water for the Front Range. And by September of last year, Glenwood Springs had already identified more than $10 million in repair needed to improve water infrastructure as a result of the Grizzly Creek Fire.
As far as drought, Gov. Jared Polis in late November activated the municipal portion of the state’s emergency drought plan. That created a task force to help the state’s 700-plus water providers — who deliver clean water to homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and more — prepare for the anticipated drought challenges ahead. The task force already has conducted a survey to identify water provider needs, and they offer resources to help water providers plan for drought response.
While a few good storms won’t change the long-term outlook, I’m certainly hoping for powder this spring. In the meantime, we can all do our part to ready ourselves and our community for the changing environment. Maybe it’s preparing for increased wildfire risk through defensible space. Or perhaps this spring you’ll encourage your HOA to replace turf grass with low-water landscaping. Before the snow even begins to dwindle from the high peaks, let’s all take time to appreciate – and protect – our critical water resources.
Ask Eartha Steward is written by the staff at the High Country Conservation Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to waste reduction and resource conservation. Submit questions to Eartha at info@highcountryconservation.org
