Water Wednesday: Snowpack, Drought, and the Colorado River
Colorado’s snowpack is off to one of the worst starts on record, raising serious concerns for water supplies across the Western Slope.
According to the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, statewide snowpack and the Colorado River Headwaters basin are both at record lows for this point in winter. In the Gunnison Basin, which covers much of KVNF’s listening area, snow water equivalent sits in the seventh percentile of the thirty-year average. The Colorado Headwaters basin is even worse, at the zero percentile.
Water managers say the state would need roughly one-hundred-forty-five percent of normal snowfall for the rest of the season to recover — something that has only happened a few times in four decades.
Colorado River Negotiations and Federal Planning
The dry winter comes as negotiators from seven basin states race toward a mid-February deadline to reach a new agreement on how the Colorado River will be managed after current rules expire.
Without a seven-state deal, federal officials could impose a management plan with fewer tools to prevent critically low reservoir levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
Earlier this month, the Bureau of Reclamation released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement outlining options for post-2026 river operations. The draft is open for public comment through March second, with two virtual public meetings scheduled later this winter.
Public Lands, Immigration, and Regional News
The newscast also covers a federal opinion that could allow Congress to overturn the management plan for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, raising concerns about long-term land stewardship.
We hear updates on immigration enforcement agreements across the Mountain West, just a day after a person was shot in an incident invoving Border Patrol in Southern Arizona.
Sundance is moving to Boulder
The Sundance Film Festival is underway in Park City, as the event reflects on its roots and prepares to relocate to Boulder, beginning next year after four decades.
Club 20 Leadership Update
Finally, Club 20 announced new leadership. Wade Haerle was named executive director, with Andrea Wilson joining as chief operating officer. The organization represents all twenty-two Western Colorado counties on issues including water, energy, and infrastructure.
