In the coming years, water usage will likely become an increasingly important issue. In heavy snow years such as this one, it is easy to take for granted the role it plays in our communities. Chaffee County in some respects has a great responsibility when it comes to water. Because we live at the source, water issues around the state (and a lot of the western US), are directly affected by our actions in this area.

We have seen our share of snow this winter. The ice has only now finally retreated from many of the Buena Vista neighborhood streets and the drifts are still piled high along side the road in many places. According to the NRCS (National Resources Conservation Service) Snow Survey, Chaffee County is between 130 and 150% of our average snowpack (click here to download a pdf of the average snowpack map). As the map shows, most of that high snowfall is occurring in the southern regions of the state. According to the Denver Post about two weeks ago, the entire state was 134% of average.

Even with this good news, the comments below the article are indicators of thought about this issue in the minds of the general public. Water plays a major role in everyone’s lives. In an above average snow year like this winter it is easy to forget the growing populations of the front-range cities and the continual need for appropriate allocation of water to farms and ranches.

So, in a year such as this one, what do we think about and do? Is it still important to practice discipline and conserve water? Here is a link to a helpful pie chart that shows average water usage in a Denver residence and this page has an interesting method for figuring out household usage based on your water bill.

Certainly lets enjoy the snow and the water it brings and lets be glad we are not currently having to endure another 2002. Water is a resource we cannot live without.

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