Read on Twitter
Last week, @GovofCO created a task force to assess the impact of #drought for 40 #CO counties, many in the #CORiver Basin. Can long-term trends help us understand why we're seeing drought conditions despite average snowpack this winter? Let’s look
(1/8) https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2020-06-24/drought-plan-enacted-for-40-colorado-counties-by-governor
(1/8) https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2020-06-24/drought-plan-enacted-for-40-colorado-counties-by-governor
#CO’s #snowpack was right about average, but warm spring temperatures & low soil moisture, driven in part by #climatechange, resulted in snowpack melting earlier than usual: @BianchiWeather @denverpost (2/8) https://www.denverpost.com/2020/06/12/colorado-winter-snowpack-2020-gone/
Historically, Colorado’s #snowpack lasts into late June, or even mid to late July, slowly trickling into streams and feeding rivers throughout the hot summer months. Look back at the trends through recent years with our Snowpack in the West tool: (3/8) https://westernresourceadvocates.org/snowpack-in-the-west/
That's bad news for rivers! Snowpack is the foundation for streamflow, and is necessary to support our communities and riparian ecosystems. Earlier snowmelt means vulnerable streams, rivers, and lakes, especially later in the summer. Peep the trends
(4/8) https://westernresourceadvocates.org/streamflow-in-the-west/
(4/8) https://westernresourceadvocates.org/streamflow-in-the-west/
Ultimately, our rivers and lakes rely on more than just winter snowfall. They can also get a boost from late-season precipitation. But this year, in line with long-term trends and years past, that precip didn’t show up as needed: (5/8) https://conejoscountycitizen.com/article/snowpack-and-stream-flows-dismal
Researchers like @bradudall and others now believe that these “drought” conditions are really a gradual drying out of our region, or “aridification,” and that dry conditions like these are the “new normal” we need to prepare for in the West: (6/8)
https://www.coloradoriverresearchgroup.org/uploads/4/2/3/6/42362959/crrg_aridity_report.pdf
https://www.coloradoriverresearchgroup.org/uploads/4/2/3/6/42362959/crrg_aridity_report.pdf
#climatechange and the resulting increasing temperatures across our region are a major driving factor contributing to water scarcity, and threatening the health of our rivers, lakes, and water supplies for communities and wildlife around the region (7/8): https://westernresourceadvocates.org/water-scarcity-in-the-west/
You can get a look at trends for snowpack, streamflow, and water scarcity through recent years, and learn more about what those trends mean for the health of our rivers and lakes around the region with our Water in the West tools. Check them out! (8/8) https://westernresourceadvocates.org/healthy-rivers-lakes/water-in-the-west-tools/
