Colorado Snowpack In Sorry Shape - Rocky Mountain News

[hatrack]

"High country snowpack dropped alarmingly in March, pushing the state into its fifth year of drought and making strict summer watering rules almost a certainty for many communities.

The statewide snowpack - a critical indicator of fresh water supplies - measured just 65 percent of average Thursday, well below the 94 percent of average recorded one year ago, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

"The message is grim," said Roger Pielke Sr., state climatologist. "Water managers need to plan now to conserve. We're in very poor conditions for water this summer."

The precipitous decline in the snowpack since March 1 is one of the most dramatic melt-offs ever recorded in a single month, the Conservation Service said. In areas critical to Front Range water supplies, such as the South Platte and the Arkansas River basins, the snowpacks are even lower, registering 51 and 60 percent of average, respectively."

EDIT

[demnan]

1. I heard in high school way back in the 1970's

that water resources in the west would reach the crisis point by the turn of the next century. I guess that's true.

[tridim]

2. But global warming is "junk science"

at least that's what our king keeps telling us. Here's to another year of dead lawns, dead trout and unclean cars.

In the 70's, driving up to the slopes there was always a huge wall of packed snow on the sides of mountain roads, now we're lucky if there is any snow at all.