RMCO

When it comes to water, “The Western mountain states are by far more vulnerable to the kinds of change we’ve been talking about compared to the rest of the country,” says Michael Dettinger, a research hydrologist at the United States Geological Survey who studies the relationships between water and climate. An Arid West No Longer Waits for Rain, New York Times, April 4, 2007.

The spring of 2007 was another of below average and rapidly declining snowpacks across West. Among many news reports:

Fiercer water wars seen for West, Rocky Mountain News, February 22, 2007. A major new National Research Council report concludes that reduced flows in the Colorado River basin will contribute to the intensity and frequency of droughts, increasing competition among agricultural water users and municipal suppliers trying to keep up with population growth. Eric Kuhn, General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District remarks, "The big question is, will the water management infrastructure - meaning the big state and federal agencies - adopt it or dismiss it because it's telling them things they don't want to hear?" Highly recommended!

Water officials see grim scenario. Rocky Mountain News, April 27, 2006. Climate change may shrink supply and increase demand, the Denver Board of Water Commissioners hears from its staff.

Vail Daily, August 27, 2004: Area's water future looks like 2002 . "Climate scientists caution against making too much out of any one year when talking about global warming. Still, in looking ahead at a planet redefined by warmth, the future they describe in Colorado and the Southwest looks and feels very much like 2002."

News on Climate Disruption, page 3

Water, continued