Rain eases the fires, then closes the highway
Monsoon moisture has finally reached western Colorado, a reprieve from a hot, dry spring. The National Weather Service warns of rain falling an inch or two an hour.
That has cut both ways. A debris flow closed US 550 over Red Mountain Pass Friday night, from 5 p.m. until 10:30; CDOT says cleanup will delay traffic all week. A second, out of Cutler Creek on the Gold Mountain burn scar, closed the highway north of Ouray for an hour Sunday night.
The rain is helping fire crews. Evacuation zones on the Gold Mountain Fire are relaxing; as of Monday night it stood at 39,506 acres, withcontainment up from 37% to 50%. The Elk Fire holds near 2,300 acres, containment climbing from zero Sunday to 37%.
The rain is not fixing the drought
Last Monday the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District delivered its regular water supply report to the Gunnison Basin Roundtable. Its summary line: "Drought conditions have degraded in the basin over the past two months." The district puts reservoir storage at 49% across the Gunnison Basin, 43% in the upper basin.
Closer to home, Paonia Reservoir is under 30% of capacity, Crawford about a quarter full. Ridgway is a bright spot near 85%. The Gunnison River at Delta runs at roughly a fifth of normal.
Climbers to summit all 58 fourteeners on Colorado Day
Saturday is Colorado Day — the state's 150th, in the year the country turns 250. Teams will stand atop all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners the same day, an initiative called 14er Climb: Summit 2026, modeled on the 1976 Centennial climb. Several peaks are in near us: Wetterhorn belongs to the Montrose Recreation District, Uncompahgre to Nature Connection and Generation Wild, Sneffels to the Colorado Mountain Club, Handies to Outdoor Afro Colorado. The Mount Massive team stood down for fire safety. Anyone can join the "Find Your Own 14er" campaign instead — a trail, a park, a river.
Suppes resigns from CLAS board secretary position
At least week's Delta School Board meeting Board President Beth Suppes announced she has resigned as secretary of Colorado Leaders for Academic Success, or CLAS. "It is the time constraint for me that I could not handle anymore," she said. "I'm still fully involved with CLAS. Love CLAS. Go CLAS."
Other business included a 15-year facilities master plan and the sale of the Paonia Energy Tech property to the Carol D. Burke Education Foundation.
State certifies primary results
Colorado has certified its primary results, with 1.4 million ballots cast. A bipartisan post-election audit confirmed voting machines accurately counted paper ballots. Turnout reached 48% of active Democrats, 40% of Republicans and 28% of unaffiliated voters — about a third overall. Ninety-eight percent voted by mail. — Bente Birkeland, Colorado Capitol News Alliance
Beavers put to work on Garfield County creeks
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is building beaver dam analogs — wooden stakes and willow set into creek beds to slow the water. After 39 at West Rifle Creek, crews added nine at Garfield Creek State Wildlife Area near New Castle in June, then released seven beavers relocated from Edwards and Eagle County. "Projects that focus on water are the most efficient way for us to improve habitat for our wildlife, and in drought-like years like this, their importance is even more significant," said District Wildlife Manager McCoy Burke.
