Earth Equity News

Dust, Climate Change Threaten Colorado River's Flow and Fort Collins Water Supply. By Bobby Magill, Fort Collins Coloradoan, 9/26/10. "The reduced flow could have tremendous impact on the availability of water for areas dependent on Colorado River water, including Fort Collins, which obtains some of its municipal water supply from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, of which Horsetooth Reservoir is a part. With climate change factored in, the Colorado River could see a reduction in flow of up to 25% by 2050, said study co-author Brad Udall, director of the Western Water Assessment… Each year, dust is carried by strong winds from Southwest deserts and deposited onto the snowy slopes of the Rockies… The dust absorbs radiant heat from the sun, speeding up the melting of mountain snow. When the snow melts early, the growing season on mountain slopes also begins early, which means snowmelt evaporates or is lost through transpiration rather than running off into streams, according to the study available with subscription]. And that, the study shows, means less water flows into the Colorado River to be used by the 27 million people throughout the West who depend on it for drinking water."