Drought/runoff news: Gunnison River basin suppliers and users are feeling the pinch #CODrought #CORiver

Click on the thumbnail graphic for the current map from the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought, long-term and short-term, is widespread.

From The Crested Butte News (Alissa Johnson):

Inflows into Taylor Park Reservoir were 55 percent of normal in May, and down at Blue Mesa things were even drier. Inflows there were 33 percent of normal, and the reservoir is currently at 60 percent of capacity. With more dry weather in the forecast, the lack of water is posing some real challenges across the valley, including ranching, fire fighting and even road maintenance…

The valley is also being affected by demands from the Uncompahgre Valley, which relies on the Gunnison Tunnel for irrigation needs. The Upper Gunnison District is releasing what is known as the second fill, its storage right from the Taylor Reservoir, in anticipation of a call on the Gunnison Tunnel…

[Blue Mesa Reservoir] is at roughly 7,478 feet—that’s 41 feet below the spillway and a marked contrast to last year, when Blue Mesa was nearly brimming. Davidson said that current projections show the reservoir sinking to an elevation of 7,460 feet by the end of August and 7,448 feet by September. Releases will slow as the irrigation season ends, and the reservoir is likely to stay at that level through December, placing it about 40 feet below the target for that time of year.

From The Durango Herald (Emery Cowan):

Most Fort Lewis Mesa farmers’ irrigation rights were shut off in May, more than a month earlier than usual for most. Their crops are withering and finding places to graze their cattle is getting increasingly difficult, forcing many to make tough choices to survive while they wait, and pray, for rain…

Knowing water would be scarce, Trent Taylor said he cut back on all his spring planting this year. Usually Taylor, owner of Blue Horizon Farm, plants hundreds of acres of wheat to supply his business making whole wheat products. This year, he will be forced to rely on what he stored from last year…

Matt Isgar has produced a fraction of the hay he usually gets and had to cut his crop a month early before it started to die from lack of water. If their hay crop ends up dying this year because of lack of water, many farmers worried they will have to reseed hundreds of acres next year…

Florida Mesa farmer Gary Zellitti’s first hay cutting was one third of what he usually brings in. Zelletti said he is now using storage water from Lemon Dam since his water rights on the Florida River were shut off last month, two months earlier than normal. Because Lemon didn’t fill up this year, he also expects his supply of reservoir water to run out in August, when usually it lasts until October…

Farmers near Delta have faced reduced irrigation and some may be completely cut off in July, said extension agents in the office near Grand Junction. Losing irrigation is especially damaging to fruit tree growers in the Grand Junction area because a lack of water affects the trees roots and fruit production for years afterward, extension agent Curtis Swift said…

But for now, farmers’ only hope is that the summer monsoons will come on strong and early, said Darrin Parmenter, director and horticulture agent at the La Plata County Extension Office.

From Steamboat Today:

Underscoring the extreme drought conditions plaguing Northwest Colorado, city of Steamboat Springs residents and businesses were hit Friday with mandatory water restrictions.

The Stage 2 restrictions, which went into effect immediately, dictate the permissible uses of treated municipal water during times of drought. The restrictions include all water customers of the Mount Werner Water and Sanitation District, City of Steamboat Springs Water District, Steamboat II Metro District and Tree Haus Metro District. Those four districts provide treated water to all of Steamboat Springs and the immediate surrounding residential areas.

In a news release Friday, water officials from each district cited the historically low flows of the Yampa River, discharges from Fish Creek Reservoir that are exceeding natural inflows and the likelihood for continued drought conditions as the biggest factors in their decision to move forward with the mandatory restrictions.

From the Loveland Reporter-Herald:

Hot temperatures have created a record-high water demand, causing [Loveland] residents to experience low water pressure in their homes. The city system logged 27 million gallons of water Wednesday – 35 percent higher than a typical June day. To lessen the demand, residents are encouraged to water only on even or odd days, corresponding with address number. For example, people with an even number address should water on even calendar days.

Drought news: Water Restrictions in Telluride, North Metro Denver #CODrought

From The Telluride Daily Planet (Collin McRann):

Telluride’s restrictions were put in place last week by town council to conserve the town’s dwindling water supply. Though restrictions are at the lowest level [phase one], several mandatory items are in effect.

“We divert directly from two tributaries this time of year and both tributaries are showing rapid decline in volume of water,” Town Manager Greg Clifton said. “So we have very genuine concerns about the ability to meet the demand of water for the entire town.”

According to a June 12 Telluride administrative order, using treated city water is prohibited for washing exterior hard surfaces, power washing structures, filling pools or landscape features, installing new landscaping as well as commercial and non-commercial car washing unless done with a bucket.

Watering landscaping such as trees and other features is limited to 30 minutes a day between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. on specific days for odd or even addresses in town. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays residences and businesses with odd numbered addresses can water. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays residences and businesses with even numbered addresses can water. On Sundays everyone can water, and water used to grow plants for sale is not restricted.

From The Denver Post — YourHub (Joey Kirchmer):

The cities of Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster, in addition to the South Adams County Water & Sanitation District, are teaming up in an effort to ask residents to use water more efficiently this summer. Broomfield and Arvada are also part of the conservation campaign, which comes largely in response to low snowpack levels this year.

The reservoirs that Thornton draws water from are currently standing at about 70 percent of capacity, which is pretty typical for this time of year, said Emily Hunt, water resources manager for the city of Thornton. “But the snowpack from the mountains is already melted out,” Hunt said. “Normally, we would be seeing that capacity going up right now, but not this year. Usually we’re close to 100 percent full at the end of the spring runoff.”

Water usage among residents is also ticking up this year due to the hot weather. Summer temperatures began kicking in around April, which has led to a 10-percent spike in customer usage over last year, Hunt said. “We’re trying to get customers to cut back 10 percent this year,” she said. “The goal is to get back to the levels from last year.”

San Miguel River: Montrose County water rights filing denied as speculative

From the Telluride Watch (Peter Shelton):

District Court Judge J. Steven Patrick issued a summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs/opposers Sheep Mountain Alliance in a case involving water rights on the Johnson Ditch. The county applied for the rights in 2010, it stated, to support industrial and residential growth anticipated to accompany the proposed Piñon Ridge uranium mill. Sheep Mountain’s attorney’s argued that Montrose County’s uses for the water were speculative, and the judge agreed…

In the just-dismissed case, the county had filed on water belonging to the Uravan Water Trust, rights that were held as part of the “decommissioning of milling activities at the [defunct] Uravan mill.” According to court documents, “Upon termination of the Trust, the water rights will be conveyed to the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB).” Montrose County’s filings on the San Miguel River were made, in part, to beat an instream water rights filing by the CWCB to protect habitat and recreational uses on the Lower San Miguel.

Opposers to the Johnson Ditch filing claimed the “applicant must demonstrate . . . that its intent to appropriate is not based upon speculative sale or transfer . . .” And Judge Patrick concluded Monday that Montrose County failed to establish standing to seek the water right and that “the Applicants’ intent in the Johnson Ditch water rights is too speculative as a matter of law to satisfy the ‘can and will’ test.”

From the Montrose Daily Press (Katharhynn Heidelberg):

Montrose County did not establish the standing necessary to secure water rights on the Johnson Ditch, a judge ruled Tuesday, dismissing its 2010 application for those rights…“I think it’s great news,” SMA attorney Jenny Russell said. “I think it supports our claim that Montrose County’s applications are speculative.”

More San Miguel watershed coverage here and here.

Drought news: Colorado River trout face ‘brutal summer of survival’ — Bob Berwyn #CORiver #CODrought

From the Summit County Citizens Voice (Bob Berwyn):

…Trout Unlimited is asking anglers to voluntarily restrict their fishing on portions of the upper Colorado River until conditions improve…

To help protect the fish, anglers should avoid fishing on the Fraser and Upper Colorado rivers during the hottest part of the day. A better option for fishing these days might be in higher elevation lakes or in river reaches just below dams that aren’t hit as hard by warm temperatures…

Water temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit can be stressful or fatal to trout. Peak temperatures on the Fraser River near Tabernash have surpassed 70 degrees in recent days. Anecdotal reports indicate that similar high temperatures are found on the Colorado River between Windy Gap and the Williams Fork. Warm water makes the fish more susceptible to stress from handling and also promotes the growth of algae that can suck nearly all the oxygen out of the water during the night.

From the Westminster Window (Tammy Kranz):

Thornton City Council declared a Stage 1 Drought Watch at its May 22 meeting. The city’s goal is to reduce water-customer demand by 10 percent by encouraging residents to follow voluntary water practices, such as only watering lawns early in the morning and in the evenings twice a week…

The cities of Arvada, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster, as well as South Adams County Water and Sanitation, and the City and County of Broomfield issued a joint statement on June 11, asking residents to be mindful of their water usage…

“We hope that this frankly isn’t the first year of an extended drought, and that it’s a fluke of unusual dry weather,” said Thornton City Manager Jack Ethredge at the May council meeting. “But you never know. So, we should prepare as if this might in fact be a first year so that we’ll be in better shape the second year.”

‘The Colorado Basin Roundtable has spent significant time and money to learn about its own consumptive and nonconsumptive needs’ — Jim Pokrandt #CORiver

From the Grand Junction Free Press (Jim Pokrandt):

With this reality in mind, the Colorado Basin Roundtable has spent significant time and money to learn about its own consumptive and nonconsumptive needs — to make sure our economic potential, recreation economy and environmental concerns are properly balanced in the statewide equation.

On the consumptive side, we commissioned a study on the potential demand from the energy industry and developed a placeholder requirement of approximately 120,000 acre feet for a fully developed oil shale industry. This is now being used in model portfolios being developed by the CWCB for the Interbasin Compact Committee and the Roundtables.

We also know from SWSI and other work by the Colorado Water Conservation Board that we have our own agricultural water supply and M&I gaps. The Nonconsumptive Study has identified stream stretches that are environmentally challenged while also evaluating desirable flows for recreational purposes. Recreation in the Colorado high country and downstream on the Colorado is an important economic factor for the West Slope and the state…

The planning currently underway looks at a 2050 horizon, when the state demographer is predicting a statewide population of 10 million people. But life continues after 2050. The decisions we make based on 2050 will dictate what happens afterward. If the policies developed in the next five years (as per Gov. Hickenlooper’s request) result in an overemphasis on new water development in lieu of dealing adroitly and decisively with conservation, reuse, agricultural transfers and land use, we are only putting off until 2050 what should be happening within our lifetimes.

More IBCC — basin roundtables coverage here and here.

#WaldoCanyonFire photo gallery from CBS News and Time, President Obama declares disaster

Western wildfires cbsnews.com/2300-201_162-1… via @cbsnews #WaldoCanyonFire

—
John Orr (@CoyoteGulch) June 29, 2012

Colorado burning: gallery - Times LIVE timeslive.co.za/world/2012/06/… via @TimesLIVE #WaldoCanyonFire #CODrought

—
John Orr (@CoyoteGulch) June 29, 2012

Obama declares disaster in CO, making fed funds available for High Park/Waldo Canyon fire areas

—
Catherine Tsai (@ctsai_denver) June 29, 2012

Colorado Springs Utilities is looking at watershed protection needs due to #WaldoCanyonFire

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

While maintaining water service is the immediate concern, [Colorado Springs Utilities] will face some issues with its long-term water supply. “The fire has burned up against Rampart Reservoir,” Bostrom said. “We will have to do some post-fire mitigation. We’re still assessing what needs to be done.”

Rampart Reservoir, located northwest of the city, is the terminal storage for the Homestake Pipeline, which supplies more than half of Colorado Springs’ water.

More Colorado Springs Utilities coverage here and here.

Precipitation news: The North American Monsoon has been around for the last few days

Flash flood warning issued for central Larimer County after heavy rain falls near #HighParkFire, 2 miles southeast of Buckhorn Mountain.

—
Coloradoan (@coloradoan) June 28, 2012

Drought news: Map of the #FlagstaffFire, ash from the #HighParkFire turns the Cache la Poudre River black through Fort Collins #CODrought

Map of the #FlagstaffFire as of this afternoon: ow.ly/bTPnm

—
BoulderCounty (@bouldercounty) June 28, 2012

High Park Fire blackens Poudre River with ash, possibly leading to fish kills dlvr.it/1nBpsv

—
Coloradoan (@coloradoan) June 29, 2012

Colorado Water 2012: Greeley and Union Colony ditch history

Here’s the latest installment of the Valley Courier’s Water 2012 series written by Jon Monson. Here’s an excerpt:

The Union Colonists had big plans for irrigation ditches. Ditch No. 1 was going to come from the mouth of the Poudre Canyon, roughly where the Larimer and Weld Canal is now, and irrigate almost 40,000 acres. Another 40,000 acres were to be irrigated by the No.2, which eventually became the New Cache Irrigation Company.

They started smaller though, building the No.3 first to irrigate about 3,500 acres. The No.3 was closest to town, actually forming the southern edge of the colony. Located uphill from the Poudre, the ditch could irrigate the parks and gardens of the townspeople as it passed by to irrigate farms east and west of the city.

Back then people were fascinated by the power of water to make the dry prairie bloom with shade and green vegetables. Everyone had a garden. Even the kids diverted water from their parents laterals to play farmer.

The grownup farmers worked hard those first few years, learning how to manage water and how to run a mutual ditch company. Things went well until the summer of 1874 when the Poudre River suddenly dried up. Curious, someone got on their horse and rode up stream to see what was the matter. Turns out the new little town of Camp Collins had thrown a diversion across the Poudre and was taking the entire river to irrigate their farms.

Back in the Union Colony the cry went up, “To your tents boys! Rifles and cartridges!” Remember this was less than ten years after the Civil War. Cooler heads prevailed and the two groups met in Windsor to discuss (argue?) the matter. That summer they decided to allocate the water to who ever needed it most. Now that must have been one tough job. Two years later, when the Colorado Constitution was written, Article XVI Section 6 enshrined the prior appropriation doctrine, “The right to divert the unappropriated waters of any natural stream to beneficial uses shall never be denied.”

More Colorado Water 2012 coverage here.

Drought news: Mancos area residents are being asked to reduce water usage due to #WeberFire #CODrought

From the Cortez Journal (Kimberly Benedict):

In an announcement posted on the Montezuma County Sheriff’s website, Mancos Rural Water Company asked Mancos-area residents to back off of water usage in the area as the Weber Fire battle continues. “Mancos Rural Water Company does not have enough domestic water to serve the tremendous amount of water that area residents are using to soak down the areas around their homes,” the announcement states. “If you live anywhere in the Mancos Rural Water District in the quarter due west to due north of Mancos, there is no immediate need to water down your house and the immediate vicinity. Don’t do this unless you have been given pre-evacuation notice. Leave some drinking water for others on the system.”

Mancos Rural Water manager Brandon Bell said the concern was prompted by the realization that the rural water system was not created to deal with crisis like the Weber Fire. “Our main problem is that our system was just not designed with the capacity for fire protection,” Bell said. “We’ve had a lot of homes running sprinklers and watering down their property day and night and we are just not able to keep up with the demand on our system.”

Water for the Mancos Rural Water system is an allocation from Jackson Reservoir, located northwest of the small community. Following a drier-than-normal winter and a hotter-than-normal spring, the reservoir entered the summer months less than full, which means resources were strained before a greater demand was added to the system.

More Montezuma County coverage here and here.

Drought/runoff news: Rafting companies can do OK in low water years #CODrought

From the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (Jon Mitchell):

“Our best years have been the hot years,” said 52-year-old Kevin Schneider, president and owner of Glenwood Resorts. “We’re really a family business, and moms aren’t interested in taking their kids out on the water when it’s really high and rough.”

That was definitely the case a year ago, when a massive late-season snowmelt caused high, rough waters and dangerous conditions in Glenwood Canyon and downriver. Now, with the winter snowpack long gone and temperatures routinely flirting with triple digits, water levels are at much more manageable levels.

What’s followed, as a result, is a trickle-down effect that’s helped the bottom line of local rafting companies in a big way…

There’s an obvious difference in the water flows, but the biggest difference is in the overall water-flow measurements. According to figures provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), river flows on June 27, 2011, measured 24,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) on the Colorado River below Glenwood Springs, reached water levels of 11.77 feet near Dotsero and were flowing at 7,220 cfs where the Roaring Fork River flows into Glenwood.

There’s a stark contrast in water levels and flows this year. As of Tuesday, the USGS reported that the Colorado River below Glenwood was flowing at 2,150 cfs, was 2.80 feet deep at Dotsero and was flowing at 727 cfs where the Roaring Fork flows into Glenwood…

The water flow from 2011, though long gone, still left an impression on the routes rafting companies take while business picks up this year. Rocks and boulders were moved by the water flow all around Glenwood Canyon, but especially around the area where Grizzly Creek meets the Colorado. In a spot guides call “Tombstone,” a new boulder moved by last year’s river flow has narrowed the water-flow gap to around 16 feet wide, upgrading the move from a Class III (moderate) move to a Class IV (difficult) move.

More whitewater coverage here.

Drought News: The Roaring Fork Conservancy is recruiting volunteers to monitor water temperatures in streams in the watershed #CODrought

From The Aspen Times (Scott Condon):

The Roaring Fork Conservancy has identified 14 spots where it needs help monitoring water temperatures in its new Hot Spots for Trout program. The data that’s collected will be shared with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which can implement restrictions or closures of fisheries if conditions warrant. The Roaring Fork River is running significantly lower than normal for this time of year because of the low snowpack and the warm spring. That has implications for the waters in rivers and streams…

No restrictions have been placed on streams or rivers in the Roaring Fork Valley at this point, though wildlife officers are monitoring flows, temperatures and oxygen levels, said Mike Porras, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The water temperature has been recorded as high as 68 degrees on the Roaring Fork River, he said. The wildlife division typically doesn’t close a stretch of river unless the daily maximum temperature exceeds 74 degrees or the daily average temperature exceeds 72 degrees, according to the Roaring Fork Conservancy’s website…

Roaring Fork Conservancy wants to make sure the best information on river and stream conditions is available to make decisions to ensure the fishery isn’t damaged. It has a small supply of thermometers available and asks that volunteers dip them into the water for one to two minutes away from river and stream banks, Tattersall said. They are asked to repeat the procedure to ensure they are getting an accurate reading. They should record the time and weather condition and get a picture of the site. The information can be submitted online at www.roaringfork.org/hotspotsfortrout.

More Roaring Fork watershed coverage here and here.

Colorado School of Mines study cites potential problems faced by water treatment operations after wildfire in a watershed

Here’s the release from the Colorado School of Mines (David Tauchen/Karen Gilbert):

As numerous wildfires burn across Colorado, a new study conducted by Mines Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate students last semester details how these fires can be detrimental to drinking water quality and suggests what municipalities could do to respond to this threat.

“While impacts of wildfires have been studied by scientists from forestry, biology and hydrology, this study is the first that combines these experiences with water treatment engineering and focuses on adverse effects on drinking water quality and appropriate response strategies,”said Professor Jörg Drewes.

Rain events following a wildfire can result in detrimental impacts on surface water quality in impacted areas. Run-off mixes with left over debris and sediment in a “chocolate milk shake-like mix” that can end up in drinking water sources. Increased turbidity (cloudiness), alkalinity and organic matter load can thwart purifying mechanisms inside a downstream water treatment plant. If a water plant is challenged by these conditions, the drinking water quality might be compromised including tap water that might have a smoky taste and perhaps doesn’t meet EPA drinking water standards.

“This project simulated a range of detrimental wildfire run-off conditions utilizing a surface water treatment pilot plant at the Colorado School of Mines in close collaboration with the City of Golden’s drinking water treatment plant,” said Drewes.

The study was conducted for the city of Golden as part of the Colorado School of Mines’ Environmental Engineering Pilot Plant class, a course in which Mines students solve real-world engineering problems. They examined how a fire in the Golden area would adversely affect the water supply in Clear Creek, the source of Golden’s drinking water. Finally, the study suggested action steps the city could take to be better prepared for these events and to protect drinking water quality based on the severity of a fire in the area.

“The aim of this project was to determine the impacts of wildfire on Golden’s drinking water supply, treat the affected water to exceptional quality, then develop preparatory suggestions for the city and an action plan for once a fire occurs,” said Alex Wing, a Mines civil and environmental engineering graduate student.

Read the full report here.

Thanks to TheDenverChannel.com. (Alan Gathright) for the heads up.

More water treatment coverage here and here.

Aurora plans to sell 1,500 acre-feet worth $9.5 million for oil and gas exploration and production

The former town of Fletcher is in the news again — this time for a deal with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Here’s a report from Sara Castellanos writing for the Aurora Sentinel. From the article:

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. will purchase $9.5 million worth of “used” water from Aurora for its oil and gas drilling operations across the state, pending Aurora City Council approval July 9. The Houston-based company would pay Aurora Water over five years to use 1,500 acre feet of “effluent” water per year, according to city officials…

Members of the city council’s Management and Finance Committee will meet Wednesday to decide how the city should use the $9.5 million generated from the sale of the water. One idea, according to city documents ahead of the meeting, is to use revenue to partially pay off debt from Prairie Waters, a $650 million project that was completed in 2010 to ensure the city’s residents had enough water during droughts. The city borrowed more than $540 million and raised water rates to pay for the project.

It’s no surprise that The Pueblo Chieftain and water reporter Chris Woodka are assessing the potential effects of the deal, given Aurora’s popularity in the Arkansas River basin. Here’s an excerpt:

Aurora Water wants council to approve a five-year lease of 1,500 acre-feet for $1.8 million annually to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. in an effort to reduce utility rates. Water would be sewer return flows into the South Platte River…

The water is surplus to return flows Aurora is now able to reuse through its Prairie Waters Project, said spokesman Greg Baker.

More Aurora coverage here and here.

Drought news: ESRI has an online map of all U.S. wildfires #CODrought

From Emergency Management:

Esri maintains a continuously updated map of wildfires throughout the nation, including those in Colorado that have forced 32,000 people to evacuate from their homes and businesses. The map integrates the locations of wildfires, fire potential areas, global burn areas and precipitation. The map also pulls in tweets, YouTube videos and photos from Flickr to provide a look into what the public is sharing online.

Drought news: Anglers need to give fish a break in these times of low warm water #CODrought

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Tracy Harmon):

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Doug Krieger said some fish are dying [ed. in the Arkansas River watershed]. The dead fish tend to collect in deeper pools and when the water is clear they are more obvious to river users. Dead fish have been spotted from Salida to Parkdale and also in lower portions of Grape Creek near Canon City…

On Tuesday water was recorded at 70 degrees near Salida and Cotopaxi, while temperatures on Grape Creek ranged from 72-74. When water temperatures hit 80 degrees that’s when it becomes critical, Krieger said.

Drought news: Hot weather == increased water use, North Metro water suppliers ask residents to conserve #CODrought

Here’s a release from the water suppliers:

The cities of Arvada, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster, as well as South Adams County Water and Sanitation, and the City and County of Broomfield are joining together to ask residents to use water more efficiently this summer.

Most water suppliers in the North Metro area depend on mountain snowpack for a majority of their water. Below-average snowfall has meant less water for 2012 and possibly 2013. Plus, a warmer spring has jump-started the lawn-watering season, prompting higher water use.

Here are some recommended ways to reduce water use, save some money and protect future water supplies:

· Water lawns no more than two times per week under normal conditions. Add a third day in extreme heat. Spreading out watering days helps lawns grow deeper, drought-tolerant roots.
· If it rains, water less. Watch the weather and adjust watering days and times accordingly.
· Do not water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Watering during the day results in less water reaching your lawn due to evaporation and afternoon winds.
· Check your irrigation system at least once a month for leaks and other problems.
· When you water at night, it can be difficult to see problems. Running each zone for a few minutes during the day once monthly will reveal needed repairs.
· Raise your lawn mower blade. Protect your lawn’s roots from heat by letting grass grow a little longer.
· Limit other outdoor water uses. Sweep driveways and sidewalks with a broom. Always use a nozzle on your hose when watering landscape or washing your car.
· Check your home and repair water leaks. Place a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank and wait 10 minutes. If the water in the bowl turns color you have a leak. Replacing the flapper or other easy adjustments will generally solve the problem at little or no cost. Don’t forget to check showers and sinks for leaks as well.
· Know your water use. Check your water bill regularly to track use. Contact your water supplier for ways to identify and solve higher than normal water use issues.

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

On Monday, nearly 54 million gallons of water were used in Pueblo, the highest single day of consumption so far this year, said Terry Book, executive director of the Pueblo Board of Water Works…So far in 2012, there have been 5 days when more than 50 million gallons have been used. Even on some 100-degree days, that threshold was not reached.

From email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb):

Record breaking heat continues to drive some water demands on the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. Water is moving from Pinewood Reservoir to points downstream: primarily water deliveries, hydro-power generation at Flatiron Powerplant, and pumping up to Carter Lake.

Residents around and visitors to Pinewood have likely noticed a steady draw down over the last few days, including today and continuing through Friday. By Friday, June 29, we anticipate Pinewood will reach a water level elevation of about 6560 feet above sea level. That is about 54% full. It is anticipated that by Friday evening, or early Saturday morning, water levels at Pinewood will start to rise again.

Pinewood has been basically full for most of the month of June.

We are continuing to pump water up to Carter Lake reservoir.

From TheDenverChannel.com:

Calls for residents to voluntarily reduce their water usage during this year’s drought and mandatory restrictions in some parts of Mesa County have failed to get results…

According to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, some customers are now using three times as much water than when the pleas were issued.

Drought news: Waldo Canyon Fire blows up, homes near Colorado Springs destroyed #WaldoCanyonFire #CODrought

From the Associated Press via The Pueblo Chieftain:

The [Air Force Academy] was telling families to leave two main housing areas, but an area of the 28-square-mile campus that houses cadets wasn’t immediately evacuated. A new class of cadets is still scheduled to report on Thursday. Fire officials had issued a pre-evacuation notice for the academy earlier Tuesday. El Paso County sheriff’s officials have ordered an estimated 32,000 people to leave. Fire information officer Greg Heule said earlier Tuesday that the fire was less than five miles from the southwest corner of the Air Force Academy’s campus. Television images showed homes burning and the Flying W Ranch southwest of the academy said on its website that the ranch had burned to the ground. Colorado Springs Fire Chief Richard Brown said “many, many homes” also have been saved.

Here’s the link to a photo album from The Pueblo Chieftain. Twitter hashtag @WaldoCanyonFire.

More from the article:

Tuesday was the fifth consecutive day with temperatures of 100 degrees or higher in Denver, tying a record set in 2005 and 1989. On Monday, Denver set a record with 105 degrees. The previous record for June 25 was 100 degrees in 1991. Other areas of the state also topped 100 degrees Tuesday, including the northeastern Colorado town of Wray, which hit 108, the National Weather Service said. What the nation is now seeing is “a super-heated spike on top of a decades long warming trend,” said Derek Arndt, head of climate monitoring at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The U.S. set 107 new temperature records Monday and in the past week has set 782 of them, which are large numbers but hard to put in context because the data center has only been tracking the number of daily records broken for little more than a year, Arndt said.

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

Tanker planes based out of the Pueblo Memorial Airport use city water to fight fires, and the U.S. Forest Service picks up the tab. The tankers fly in and out of the airport up to eight hours daily, with each plane carrying between 2,500-3,000 gallons of retardant mix, depending on conditions, said Ralph Bella, Forest Service spokesman. One part retardant is mixed with five parts water, and the water comes from a 3-inch metered hydrant. The rate for the hydrant is 1.5 times the residential rate, or $15.90 for the first 2,000 gallons, and $3.40 for every 1,000 gallons after that, said Terry Book, executive director for the Pueblo Board of Water Works.

From The Colorado Springs Gazette (R. Scott Rappold):

The Waldo Canyon fire has spread to one of the most crucial links in Colorado Springs’ far-flung water system, Rampart Reservoir. The fire destroyed power lines leading to the reservoir overnight Monday, forcing backup generators to kick on, and the flames were three-quarters of a mile away early Tuesday.

Drought news: NIDIS Weekly Climate, Water and Drought Assessment Summary of the Upper Colorado River Basin #CODrought

There wasn’t much good news during yesterday’s webinar. The onset of the North American Monsoon for a couple of days was about it. Click on the thumbnail for the precipitation summary along with a map showing water year to date snowpack for the Upper Colorado River region. Click here for the summaries from the webinar from the Colorado Climate Center.

Waldo Canyon Fire: Photo of the flames cresting the ridge above the Air Force Academy #WaldoCanyonFire #CODrought

Holy crap! “@pourmecoffee: Yikes. That's Air Force's stadium in the foreground in Colorado Springs. bit.ly/MogsVK”

—
  (@NewMexiKen) June 27, 2012

Flagstaff Fire media briefing at 8:30 PM #FlagstaffFire

Fire officials will hold media briefing with updates on #FlagstaffFire at 8:30 p.m. at Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder

—
BoulderCounty (@bouldercounty) June 27, 2012

Water Lease Could Wet the Yampa River

Water Lease Could Wet the Yampa River.

Colorado River: ‘Lake Powell to Lake Powell’ — Zachary Podmore

Zach Podmore and Will Stauffer-Norris are at it again, this time journeying from Lake Powell above Grand Lake to Lake Powell in Utah. Readers may remember their journey last fall and winter down the Green River to the Colorado River to the Gulf of California, Source to Sea. Here’s a blog post written by Podmore running in the Huffington Post. Here’s an excerpt:

Lake Powell. You may have heard of it. It’s a picturesque alpine lake nestled in the craggy peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park. Fed by snowmelt and seated in a bowl of exposed granite, the lake lies cold and clear well above 11,000 feet. Lake Powell is the Rocky Mountains at their best: pristine, rugged and wild. No trail makes its way down from the lake but a creek does. It flows out of Powell over a series of waterfalls, which pour down a giant staircase of rock ledges. In the alpine meadows below, the stream meanders through swampy grass where moose abound.

If you follow that creek 500 miles and nearly 8,000 vertical feet downstream, you’ll end up in the middle of another, more famous, Lake Powell that stretches across much of southern Utah. The two lakes don’t have much in common save the name and their shared waters. One Powell is the second largest reservoir in the country, filling the sandstone walls of Glen Canyon. The other is about as close to a perfect source of the Colorado River as you can get. Situated well above tree line, this Powell marks the beginning of the North Inlet creek, which feeds Grand Lake below. Both the lakes take their name from John Wesley Powell, the one-armed civil war veteran who was the first known explorer to climb Longs Peak in Colorado and to navigate much of the Colorado River, including Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.

More Colorado River basin coverage here and here.

Drought news: Fish in White River stressed by low streamflow #CODrought

Here’s the release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:

Due to low flows in the White River, Colorado Parks and Wildlife managers are requesting that anglers fish only during the cooler, early morning hours, or to look for alternative fishing locations that are not as significantly affected by the current climate conditions.

An official, voluntary closure like the one implemented on the Yampa River in Steamboat Springs last week is not currently planned for the White River. Wildlife managers hope to avoid an official closure by asking for voluntary cooperation from local anglers.

“The current situation is very stressful for fish,” said Bill de Vergie, Area Wildlife Manager in Meeker. “We ask the public to help us protect this fishery by honoring our request and avoid it during the hottest part of the day, or perhaps find a cooler, higher-altitude fishery.”

Wildlife officials have observed water temperatures approaching dangerous levels for cold-water fish in the White River during the early afternoon and evening. Although water temperatures dip into the 50s overnight, the high daytime temperatures are a source of concern. Under these stressful conditions, hooked fish may experience mortality even if released quickly back into the water.

It could take several years for an affected fishery to fully recover if a significant number of fish die due to the drought-like conditions

Like many rivers and streams in western Colorado, the White River offers world-class fishing and attracts thousands of anglers each year, providing a source of income to hotels, outfitters and many other local businesses that depend on outdoor recreation.

“Because of the importance of the river to our community, we believe that most anglers will cooperate,” said de Vergie. “As soon as we see a shift in the weather pattern, people will once again enjoy the great fishing in the White River.”

For more information about fishing in places not affected by low flows, please visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Pages/Fishing.aspx

Colorado Parks and Wildlife was created by the merger of Colorado State Parks and the Colorado Division of Wildlife, two nationally recognized leaders in conservation, outdoor recreation and wildlife management. Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages 42 state parks, all of Colorado’s wildlife, more than 300 state wildlife areas and a host of recreational programs.

More White River basin coverage here and here.