Colorado Water
The Denver Post is reporting that 2002 was the worse drought year on record for Colorado [November 24, 2004, "Data: '02 drought a record"]. From the article, "Preliminary results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey validate what water experts have known for two years: 2002 is firmly entrenched in the record books as the worst drought year in Colorado's history...In fact, almost 61.7 percent of the historical gauge stations were reading all-time low levels. That's compared with only 18 percent of the gauge stations' reading of all-time lows in 1977, another dry year."
The drought may be over for the Front Range according to a report from the Rocky Mountain News [November 24, 2004, "Drought may be fading"]. From the article: "In the past year, stored water supplies have risen to 78 percent of average, up from about 71 percent last year, and streams in each of the state's major river basins are showing improvement for the same time period, according to the Colorado Division of Water Resources; Early snowpack readings, though notoriously fickle, stand at 92 percent of average, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service; Though some long-term forecasts indicate an equal chance of wet or dry conditions this winter, a new forecast from the Climate Diagnostic Center in Boulder indicates there is a good chance that Colorado may see a wet spring if a weak El Niño weather system continues its current development."
Meanwhile metro area cities are pledging to conserve water, according to the Rocky Mountain News [November 24, 2004, "Cities pledge to rein in water use"]. From the article, "Lafayette, Louisville, Greenwood Village and Castle Rock have promised wise water management, and others, including Denver and Aurora, may join the group, according to the Metro Mayor's Caucus...In 2003, the cities slashed water use about 24 percent, saving some 20.2 billion gallons of water, according to a survey by the Metro Mayor's Caucus." Good idea.
Here's the link to the U.S. Drought Monitor website.
6:09:51 AM 
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