‘Go time’: RWAPA calls for immediate water conservation

Colorado’s drought is only expected to worsen with more dry weather for the forecasted future and a below-average snowpack to fill reservoirs, leading water managers and authorities to urge conservation to ensure we have enough water for essential functions like firefighting.

The Ruedi Water and Power Authority (RWAPA) is urging valley residents to water their gardens less and deeper, hoping to conserve water that would otherwise be less likely to return to the watershed, according to Darrel Smith, the Snowmass Water and Sanitation District water resource manager. Smith noted that around 80% of water used for watering does not return to surface water in the valley, unlike water used in the house, which flows through water treatment and returns to the streams. According to Greg Poschman, the chair of RWAPA without relief from rain, we must start conserving water now.

“Our snow pack is at 30% or less of normal,” Poschman said. “Our reservoirs aren’t going to fill this year, and we need to restrict water use — otherwise it’s going to be very dire in the valley, and it affects everyone. Outdoor watering is the biggest concern.”

He emphasized that overuse of water could reduce what is available for the things that are vital, such as firefighting efforts, which are expected to continue to worsen in tandem with the drought. 

“We don’t have enough water to fight fires,” he said. “If something happens, the water is probably going to get shut off for municipal use and for people and residential use. What we’re forecasting is that this is probably the driest year we’ve had in recorded memory.”

Smith believes that if people adopt a stricter water usage regimen, there will be enough for the season. Snowmass has restrictions on when people can water, and only gives exemptions in specific scenarios to try to save water. Smith noted that Snowmass is trying to incentivize watering in the morning and evening when it is cooler, on top of the restrictions already in place.

“We should be okay if we are wise with the water that we have and particularly don’t waste it in the outdoor environment,” he said.

Poschman and RWAPA are recommending not to water every day when possible and to further saturate the soil when you do water to try to maximize the water that is used.

“We can’t just do business as usual,” he said. “If people will reduce their watering outside, it will make a huge difference, so we’ll have water to drink and water for showers if we’re washing our car less often and watering outside less often … if there ever was a year to think about it, this is it.”