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As County leaders, we must protect our region. Our quality of life is directly connected to our commitment to build a tomorrow that preserves the best of today. This vision includes protecting our natural resources, utilizing our county’s resources in a fiscally-smart manner, and wisely planning for our future. Thank you for standing with us.
West’s Wet Winter Provides Good News But Not A Cure For Water Woes
It’s been a wetter winter and spring this year in Douglas County, and across Colorado, for a number of years. The above-average snowpack promises a great year for outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting and fishing; and even for water supplies for parched communities across the West that are under significant water conservation restrictions.
The good news, however, offers just a respite - not a permanent reprieve - from the water challenges that must be addressed in the near term.
The most dire situations which are the focus of significant attention in the Western U.S., including water levels in Lake Powell and Hoover Dam dropping to dangerous lows, have improved. Recent media reports indicated that Lake Powell’s level is rising a foot per day, thanks to historically high spring runoff.
But even with record snowpack, the levels at Lake Powell will rise from 22 percent to just 30 percent.
Experts in Arizona and elsewhere are already releasing forecasts showing that the unusually wet 2023 will be followed by a dry 2024.
That’s why the decision by the Colorado Legislature to punt the water issue this year is such a head scratcher. Appointing a study commission to – once again - examine the limited menu of reasonable, responsible and effective routes once again to deliver needed supplies of high-quality, renewable water just delays needed action.
It’s a contrast to Douglas County where leaders are tasking a county-wide group with not only determining the available water supplies but targeting the immediate actionable steps county leaders can and must take to protect our water security.
Colorado’s water reality has not changed, nor has the need for bold, strong, and meaningful action by our leaders.
Recent Headlines
'Botched' elections matter — at Parker Water, too | OPINION
Imagine conducting an election where an entire neighborhood is not mailed ballots, and then the results are so close that the disenfranchised voters could have changed the outcome of the race.
That’s what happened when I ran for the board of the Parker Water and Sanitation district in the May 3 election. And that’s why I went to court to stand up for my rights and the rights of these disenfranchised voters, and to ask that the court order a new free, fair and supervised election.
About 48 hours before the polls closed, Parker Water announced that — oops! — it had failed to mail ballots to a neighborhood of 62 homes, with 96 eligible voters. In the current vote count, those 96 potential votes are nearly four times the margin I am behind the longtime incumbent who is in third place. The top three vote getters will be elected.
Centennial Water and Sanitation District service area in stage one drought conditions
Below normal snowpack and continuing drought conditions has led to the Centennial Water and Sanitation District service area to be in a moderate drought status.
With the goal to reduce outdoor water use by 15 to 20%, the Highlands Ranch Metro District and Mirabelle Metro District must follow the stage one drought restrictions.
As of May 4 , the U.S Drought Monitor shows the Centennial Water and Sanitation District is in abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions.
“Pretty much the whole area has been in moderate drought and that’s due to the higher temperatures over the past year and really lack of precepts from 2020 through 2022,” said Swithin Dick, water rights administrator for the Centennial Water and Sanitation District. “It's cumulative.”
Colorado’s legislative action on water this year was mostly about what lawmakers didn’t do
Water issues fell by the wayside at the Colorado Capitol as topics like gun control, housing and abortion took center stage.
The 2023 Colorado lawmaking session was one of “incremental steps” on water issues, which means Coloradans have to wait until next year to see if legislators can find policy solutions to key water security questions.
