DROUGHT CONTINUES TO PLAGUE COLORADO

by Pam North

In the summer of 2000, when the D-word (drought) was beginning to be
uttered with some real seriousness, a columnist in one of the major Denver
newspapers wrote about the effect the dryness was having on city lawns.
Her solution was the recommendation of lots of extra watering to green
up the parched grass.  Dry suburban lawns are currently drawing the
wrath of homeowners' associations unrealistically demanding lush green
grass in Colorado's natural semi-aridness.  Instead, why are covenants
not demanding fines for water-wasters, and enforcing codes demanding 
xeriscaping, with the countless choices for attractive low-water and 
low-maintenance shrubs, flowers and grasses?  Some people just don't seem 
to get it; what does it take to get them to place the proper priorities 
on a rapidly dwindling supply of water?  Increased understanding is a must.

This year is hammering home the urgent need for responsible water use
and management.  Information suggests that the current drought is as bad 
as or worse than that of the 1930s Dust Bowl days.  Recent high temperatures 
in the high nineties and low hundred range are compounding the problem, 
although the more summer-like spring temperatures supposedly are not heralding 
a record-breaking summer.

Eastern Colorado is especially hard-hit.  Many farmers and ranchers are 
threatened with bankruptcy, and land owners face the choice of realizing
more profit by selling off water rights than by growing crops.  Agriculture
uses approximately 85% of Colorado's water supply.  Half of Colorado's
wheat crop, a 100 million dollar loss, is already gone, and things could
still get worse.  Cattle herds are beginning to be liquidated and crops 
plowed under for lack of water.  Colorado has been declared a drought-disaster
area by the Secretary of Agriculture, and recent snowfall and thunderstorms 
have done little to ease conditions.  Ordinary everyday activities such as 
washing dishes, showering and flushing toilets have become hard choices for 
eastern Colorado residents; not all of these tasks can be done each day.

Southwestern Colorado is also experiencing severe drought.  Snowpack
in that region has been between 0 and 5 percent of the long-term average
for the end of May, and the pinon and juniper forests, stressed by the water 
shortage, are succumbing to fungus and insects, becoming easily-combustible
tinder.  June in the Four Corners area is typically one of the driest and 
hottest months, and also when dry lightning is most common, so this
month promises to be especially grim.

Barker Dam, in Nederland, is not reflecting its more usual near-to-overflowing
state typical of this time of year.  Its level is woefully low, and can only 
drop lower as the summer passes.  Water rationing has gone into effect in 
most flatland Boulder municipalities.  Tree-ring data suggests that this 
drought is the worst since those of the 1800s, according to Craig Skeie, City 
of Boulder Water Resources Facilities Manager, who also points out that wells 
after 1973 are designated for indoor use only, prohibiting the use of water 
for car washing, garden irrigation and horse watering.

Drought brings other problems besides shriveled crops and brown lawns.
Fifty-five fires have burned 70,000 acres throughout the state in the last
few days, with the Eastern Plains seeing most of the damage. Dry lightning 
storms have sparked many of the fires.  Wildlife, always searching for water, 
will likely cause more people-wildlife encounters.

The Fourth of July celebration just around the corner is a source of
great concern with the current dire fire danger situation.  Requests
have been made to the governor to impose a ban on the few smaller-scale
fireworks still legal in Colorado.  Counties have the right (and many
are already exercising it) to ban the use, if not the sale, of fireworks.

If common sense could be counted upon, in this time of extreme fire threat, 
to motivate everyone to act properly, we could perhaps relax somewhat.
Unfortunately, there will always be those foolish ones who don't think,
don't care and take chances, and this is enough to keep fear alive that
our beautiful forests could easily go up in flames from sheer carelessness.

Living in the mountains is a way of life that is cherished by those
of us who choose it.  The escape from the annoyances of city life and dense 
population brings stresses of its own, however, and the threat of forest 
fires is one hell with which we pointy-landers have to live.  Summer, a 
season which we mountain-dwellers especially savor, has become a time of 
unease and survival.  Let us hope that both residents and tourists alike 
will use intelligence, restraint and caution to mitigate this danger as 
much as possible.



Fireworks photo to accompany article is at:
http://www.wf.net/~lcrump1
Caption: Fireworks, usually a joy to the patriotic heart, is
more likely to strike terror in the heart of anyone aware of this 
region's high fire danger.