Colorado and the West is running out of water . . . (Denver: installing, guidelines)

[highplainsrus]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

^

Take a look at the last page of the pdf linked for us above by highplainsrus. Then sit down and weep. All humor aside, NM can't declare war on Colorado to get something that is no longer there. Looks like the Rio Grande and especially the Arkansas drainage could be down considerbly this summer. Are there even any small farmers and ranchers left in the Rio Grande Valley, anymore? The heritage and history of that part of southern Colorado/northern New Mexico is so uniquely special - such a shame to see it all but vanish over the course of a single lifetime. "Poor New Mexico! So far from God and so close to Colorado (and Texas)."

and that's just the surface water. ground water is the "bank" and the bank is being
sucked dry pretty fast. it's even more complex than surface and i haven't found
good summaries of that situation. i just understand that ogallala and all the others are being raided from all directions. there is talk of artificial recharging, but that might fall into the same category as desalination for practicality. i'm watching out for talk of a federal groundwater bailout and/or National Guard troops taking over the wells.

at a minimum, NM has a huge investment in chile production, which is under fire with lowered acreage and counterfeit foreign imports. as a buffer zone between p.o.'ed texas, mexico, and arizona, NM is CO's best ally. Give 'em the water?!

i apologize for preaching to the choir. i know you all already know this stuff.

[CosmicWizard]

jazzlover wrote: as long as water comes out of the faucet when they turn it on, everything is just hunky-dory

You mean they've been mistaken to think that turning on the tap, activated a big machine at city water central that created water out of thin air and magically circulated it thru the city water mains into to their faucets?

[highplainsrus]

Denver Water approves mandatory watering restrictions because of drought


Denver Water approves mandatory watering restrictions because of drought - The Denver Post

is it enough? better fill your bathtub.

for fun, read the Post comments on the article. the people are stirring.

[Shuffler]

An irksome Summer sight are commercial lawn sprinklers running mid-day, as the hot wind blows, or the random broken sprinkler head spewing a geyser in front of a strip mall or whatever. I see it all the time.

I would hope that businesses or the property management companies would be warned and/or fined for this kind of waste, if we're serious about addressing the issue.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

An irksome Summer sight are commercial lawn sprinklers running mid-day, as the hot wind blows, or the random broken sprinkler head spewing a geyser in front of a strip mall or whatever. I see it all the time.

I would hope that businesses or the property management companies would be warned and/or fined for this kind of waste, if we're serious about addressing the issue.

I agree with this as the best time to water a lawn in the morning or evening. It takes my sprinkler system about 3 hours to water my lawn so I have it go on at 5 am and if I have to run it at night about 6 pm. I only have to run it twice a day during the hottest time of the summer late June through August.

[Idunn]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

... most of this discussion is completely lost on the urban dwellers (many not from the arid West) who seem to think that as long as water comes out of the faucet when they turn it on, everything is just hunky-dory.

It could be, probably is, that most Colorado residents do not know the provenance of their water.

That which—in a most general sort of understanding—they rely upon falls from the sky as the precipitation of rain, and importantly snow—maybe. Perhaps in small or large measure knowledge of an underground aquifer, name and disposition of it—less likely. Or that such aquifers ultimately depend upon precipitation as well, and not just "free" water one might assume always there.

But with rivers as vital, and most directly dependent upon them, how many would be familiar with the headwaters of their own? One wouldn't expect few beyond water engineers would know of the various reservoirs, diversion ditches and so forth within their own water basin. If close to it, they may have some familiarity with the reservoir closest to them and its current level.

Although come to think of it, do you suppose everyone in Summit County understands that the large amount of water in Dillon Reservoir is claimed by Denver Water?

But what of that upstream? Ultimately even the largest river in Colorado began within high alpine peaks, drop by drop in the melting of the last winter's snow, and (somewhat) eternal glaciers. Can they trace their own river upstream as far to each of its myriad small branches, and at last the small rivulet which might almost at whim be considered its source? And in that a better understanding of the existing snowpack, the overall hydrology of their river's basin, and state of that which all depend upon?

Or not more reasonable to presume the likely disconnect of most urban dwellers? That they have some vague notion of the importance of snow, and even that this is a dry year. But could not guess the exact provenance of their local river if their life depended upon it. Or, as a city like Denver will draw from a variety of sources, bewildered if trying?

And that at last and foremost their best gauge of the water situation is their kitchen and bath faucet. With a fuller and more direct understanding of notices in the news and that perhaps arriving in the mailbox. That some bureaucrat has decided there must be rationing. So, oh, if they must. But rather a bother, as the water from their faucets continues to flow out as before, clean and filtered (and possibly adulterated as well, but another topic). And they cannot conceive it ever any different: ever this faucet dry. So at last dictates from "experts" who must know best. But why haven't "they" made more water, so not this bother? Other than that, really not their concern, as why one pays taxes, to have someone else deal with such things. And personally, well, they'll water the lawn less and like that no more. All politics. And once sorted out, then surely all back to normal.

BTW, per the link that was so helpfully provided by highplainsrus (Colorado Water Supply Conditions Update [1]), a sobering assessment of Colorado's current water supply. The question of water priorities may well be raised this year, which is politics. But nature is not concerned with such things. A town such as Pueblo may have strong claims to that there is, as well perhaps some farmers farther downstream in the Arkansas Valley. But the headwaters of the Arkansas River is by this assessment at -3.96 (see last page of reference), which puts it singularly in the red and in the worst shape of all river basins in Colorado. Or, as figured, in "extreme drought," the most severe state.

When it comes down to it, this is what will matter most: our headwaters.

1) 'Colorado Water Supply Conditions Update,' Office of the State Engineer: Colorado Division of Water Resources
http://water.state.co.us/DWRIPub/SWS...01,%202013.pdf

[proveick]

So we drain Antero this summer, same dry winter next year, than what?

[xeric]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

I agree with this as the best time to water a lawn in the morning or evening. It takes my sprinkler system about 3 hours to water my lawn so I have it go on at 5 am and if I have to run it at night about 6 pm. I only have to run it twice a day during the hottest time of the summer late June through August.

You ONLY water your lawn 6 hours per day during the hottest part of summer!

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by xeric

You ONLY water your lawn 6 hours per day during the hottest part of summer!

Ya but keep in mind I live on a 1/2 acre lot and have 14 zones on my sprinkler system for the lawn and shrubs. So it takes it 3 hours to complete a cycle and I have noticed that when its 95-110 if I don't water it twice a day my lawn is not as green as I like it to be.

[Yooshi]

With all the people taking one hour long showers, leaky faucets, and the growing population to increase water consumption.