Resources for Colorado Snowpack Information:
- Colorado Avalanche Information Center
- Colorado Snow Survey Program (US. Dept of Agriculture)
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Colorado Watershed Protection and Restoration
Have you seen a raging river on a hot summer day? Or a calm flow accompanied by a cool summer breeze? Ever notice how the flow of water differs throughout the summer? We have our winter snowpack, along with temperature fluctuations, to thank for those variants in summer river currents. The snow that is falling down on us now is an important part of Colorado’s water for the future.
Our drinking water in the valley, which is filled by melting snowpack, comes from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater so keeping it clean is a community responsibility. Protecting our water is a way to protect our health and livelihood. The Eagle River provides a large part of the drinking water for the Eagle Valley. We can protect our water source by making sure our properties don’t produce toxic runoff that flows into the river, by cleaning up after our pets, keeping storm drains clean, planting trees and other vegetation that take pollutants out of the ground, not flushing anything down the toilet that shouldn’t be, and so on.
Not only do we need to protect our water by keeping it clean, we need to conserve our water to ensure everyone gets some. Since we aren’t the only ones benefiting from our winter snowpack we need to be conscience of how much water we consume. Once melted, some of the snowpack water is diverted to the Front Range and some flows down the Colorado River towards Mexico. Life would be much harder for those outside the Eagle Valley without our snowmelt.
On average Americans are using more than 100 gallons of water per person per day but there are simple steps we can take to reduce our water consumption. Toilets are the greatest water consumer of indoor fixtures using three to five gallons per flush! Installing a water-saving fixture can save ten or more gallons of water per day. Summer is peak water usage time and irrigation for lawns draws out between half to three-quarters of treated water in the Eagle River Watershed. Therefore planting native species that are adapted to Colorado’s climate or less water intensive species can also be a clever water-saving technique. In addition we can cut down on water use by turning the water off while brushing our teeth and taking shorter showers.
“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” is one of the most famous lines in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Although Coleridge’s story expresses the plight of a mariner in 1797, the quote remains very much a part of our culture today. However in contrast to the poems most noted line, Colorado’s snowpack will create water, water everywhere, with plenty to drink, just not only for Eagle Valley. Colorado’s snowpack not only sustains our own drinking water source, but also contributes to the drinking water for many of the western areas along the Colorado River as well as east to the Front Range. So as you’re out skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing on top of our drinking water, remember how important that will be for Colorado’s future.
Rachel Solomon is a Winter Naturalist at Walking Mountains Science Center. When she’s not teaching about porcupines she’s out enjoying the beautiful snowpack. Come visit her at the Nature Discovery Center on Vail Mountain! The Discovery Center is located at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola and is open daily from 10-6 Tuesday thru Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday & Monday.
