Drought is intensifying all over Colorado, according to the weekly Drought Monitor. Extreme conditions exist in 71 percent of the state, including Eagle County. This week’s map shows exceptional drought conditions are present in two areas, with the rest of Colorado experiencing severe or extreme conditions.
About 47 percent of the nation’s land area is in various stages of drought, with 8.64 percent of the country in either extreme or exceptional drought.
Local drought conditions reflect this winter’s record low snowpack and continued hot, dry, and windy weather. Flows in local streams are correspondingly low, at 15 to 25 percent of historic averages for this time of year. The Vail Mountain SNOTEL site recorded one-tenth of an inch of precipitation on July 4, the first measurable amount since May 24. If conditions continue to be hot and dry, local streamflows will further decline and may affect the supply of water available to Eagle River Water & Sanitation District.
Should community demand for water outpace the available supply in the public water system, the district will restrict outdoor water usage beyond the current normal regulations, which allow outdoor water use up to three days per week, before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Residents are strongly encouraged to evaluate their outdoor water use and allot water to their highest priorities so the overall community demand for water is reduced.
You can lessen the impacts of drought by:
Reducing outdoor water use is more important than reducing indoor use because 95 percent of the water used inside a home is returned to local waterways through the district’s wastewater treatment facilities. Also, most homes use more water outdoors during the growing season, so outdoor water use has the largest impact on water demand in the public water system.
The district’s water use priorities are public health and safety (normal indoor water use and storing water for fire protection); local economic benefits associated with streamflows, recreation, and tourism; and long-term system reliability. Recent rains have provided a few tenths of an inch of precipitation which is not nearly enough to compensate for months of hot, dry, and windy weather.
For complete Water Use Regulation information, go to Eagle River Water & Sanitation District or call Customer Service at 970-477-5451.