Water is the lifeblood of our state. All Coloradans must work together to safeguard this precious resource.
86%
of Colorado’s water is used for agriculture. But up to 33% of irrigated farms could dry up.
Water controls our food supply.
Farmers need suitable water sources to irrigate their farms. But growing cities are looking for water, too. By 2050, Colorado could lose 500,000-700,00 acres of currently irrigated farmland to meet the demands of municipal growth.
of Coloradans drink water that flows out of national forest land – and forest fires threaten that water.
Forest, fire and water are inextricably linked.
Ash, nutrients and sediment pollute water after fires. Wildfires are a reality for those living in the West, but the impact on the landscape lingers long after the smoke is gone.
When Colorado’s legislature created the Instream Flow Program
The Colorado Water Conservation Board is the only entity legally able to hold instream flow water rights.
Since then more than 9,700 miles of stream have been preserved through the acquisition and appropriation of instream flow water rights. A new market-based approach to acquire water rights from willing owners could help keep more water flowing in Colorado’s rivers.
The variance of traditional ground-based forecasting methods for snowmelt
Melting snow from the mountains drives Colorado’s water supply.
A new space-based monitoring system developed by NASA researchers could improve the accuracy of snowpack and runoff forecasts to within 2 percent, which would make a world of difference for water managers looking to tighten operations in water-strapped systems.
