Too Much of a Good Thing

     Thanks to a strong La Nina pattern this past winter, we are seeing snowpacks that are twice the normal amount throughout the majority of Colorado's high country.  While this is seen as a good thing at first glance, it can also have devastating consequences.
     Our snowpack is important for the majority of people on Colorado's eastern plains, especially the farmers and ranchers.  Their livelihoods depend on our snowpack and water availability for their crops and livestock.  Without adequate water, these cash crops have poor yields which in turn affects the grain markets. From there, the cost is passed onto the common consumer through the higher price paid for a loaf of bread at the grocery store, due to the higher grain prices. 
     So why should we care about the heavy snowpack?  We're better off to have alot rather than not enough, right? Doesn't it me.an that we have some good whitewater rafting conditions to look forward to? Does it mean that we will have plenty of water? We can answer "Yes." to those questions at first, but then we must consider what also occurs each spring in Colorado
     Each spring, Colorado experiences a rapid warming of average daily temperatures.  While this allows for the plants to grow and the flowers to bloom, it also allows for the snowpack to melt and flow down our streams and rivers.  This year, we have about 2.5 times the normal amount of snow to melt, which equals trouble...
     Later this week, we will see our rivers such as the South Platte, Cache la Poudre, Clear Creek and others swell to their banks, full of the freshly melted snow from the mountains upstream.  As the melting increases, so will the water which poses a flood hazard for those folks with interests near these creeks and rivers. 
     Myth 1)  "This will make for some awesome rafting, right?"  WRONG! Flooding rivers mean fast and turbulent waters which exceed the standards set for determining the difficulty of navigating those streams.  Should flooding conditions occur, most of the streams that are rated as Class II, III or IV rapids will exceed the standards for the most difficult Class V rapids.  This means NO Whitewater rafting for you! Sadly, it also means lost income for the outfitters and guides who provide the tours. 
     Myth 2)  "This means the farmers will have plenty of water."  Correct, but only initially... State water law and the interstate water compacts require for so much water to flow into the states downstream.  This means that the farmers can only hold their allotted share, while the excess flows downstream.  Sadly, with a rapid melt, most of the water will be lost downstream and oftentimes, we experience drought conditions later in the summer months and the water is already gone.  Now, if the snow were to melt gradually, there would be a prolonged period of available water, which would be ideal but rarely happens.
     These are only two of the many common misnomers that the general public has about an abundant snowpack.  In the coming days, if you have interests near one of these streams or rivers, I encourage you to take measures in order to prepare for some flood conditions as the "Great Melting" begins.