Wednesday, June 19, 2013

The Future of our Water in Southwest Colorado

In August of 2011 I completed a Water Conservation Assessment for Southwest Colorado as a deliverable for a Community Energy Coordinator grant 4CORE received from the Governor’s Energy Office. In reflecting on the water conservation theme for our July newsletter, I decided to reread this report for inspiration. In one of the first sections of the report I came across this summary on the importance of water conservation that really struck me:

“Water is a vital resource in the State of Colorado, and will continue to be so due to periodic drought cycles and growing populations.  Predictions for Colorado project that multiple factors, such as temperature and dust, will increase the rate at which water and snow pack is evaporated, thus resulting in lower runoff volume. The weather patterns of lower elevations are expected to migrate to higher elevations, lower-elevation snow pack is projected to decrease, runoff is expected to decline, and spring runoff is expected to shift earlier with a reduction in late-summer flows. No consistent long-term trends in precipitation have been detected. The San Juan Mountains, in particular, are predicted to incur some of the steepest declines in runoff from spring snow melt.

In addition to these predicted changes, Colorado’s population is projected to nearly double by 2050, with the Western slope in particular experiencing growth rates as high as 240%. In June 2011, the Bureau of Reclamation released the “Colorado River Basin Water Supply & Demand Study Interim Report #1”. As a result of continued climate change and increasing populations, this report predicts an increase in the frequency and duration of droughts in the Colorado River Basin and a 9% decrease in natural flow over the next 50 years. It is projected that droughts lasting five years or longer will occur 40% of the time.

. . . [Based on] 2050 projected proportions of Colorado’s water use by sector . . . agriculture will continue to use the majority of Colorado’s water supply [82%]. However, if water use continues on projected trends, water will have to be diverted from agriculture to satisfy growing urban needs. This could result in the loss of 500,000 to 700,000 acres of irrigated agricultural land. Such a loss would have negative economic, as well as environmental, impacts.”

This short summary really hit home with me, as in the past two years since I wrote this report, we are already beginning to experience these predicted changes. Our local rafting companies can vouch for the reduction in late-summer flows of the Animas and how these changes are impacting their businesses. And our local farmers are already feeling the effects of the increase in frequency and duration of droughts in our region, with the sustainability of our food supply across the state (and country) affected. These droughts not only affect our water resources, but also contribute to an increase in the wildfires that are currently ravaging our state, leading to the tragic loss of homes and lives. To me, this speaks so strongly to the vast array of impacts that climate change is already having in our community. And these aren’t impacts that will happen in some far off future in some other country or state, but that are happening right here at home, right now. To me, this is a wake-up call that we have to start taking climate change seriously before the Colorado we all know and love is lost to us.

There are many things that you can do as an individual to reduce your carbon footprint, but sticking to the theme of this month's 4CORE newsletter, I will focus on water conservation practices that you can adopt to help mitigate the impacts of climate change in our community (And remember, saving water also saves energy and vice-versa)! In Colorado, 1.2 gallons of water are consumed per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy used and 13% of the nation’s energy use is by the water sector. Energy is used to pump water, heat water, and treat wastewater.):

Residential Water Conservation
  • Limit shower length to 5-7 minutes
  • Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators
  • Fix leaks – a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day and a faucet that drips one drop of water per second can result in 2,400 gallons wasted a year
  • Purchase water efficient appliances – a high efficiency washing machine can reduce water consumption by 50%
  • Thaw frozen foods in the fridge overnight to defrost, as opposed to running under warm water
  • When loading the dishwasher, scrape, rather than rinse, dishes. And only run full loads
  • Use efficient watering practices – up to 75% of a home’s total water use is outdoors
  • Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth or shaving – letting your faucet run for five minutes uses as much energy asleaving a light bulb on for 14 hours
Commercial Water Conservation: (in addition to the applicable residential practices)
  • Educate employees and engage them in conservation efforts
  • Install low-flow toilets or adjust flush valves on existing toilets
  • Institute leak detection and repair practices
  • Replace old appliances with water saving models
  • Use manufacturers recommendations to minimize water used in cooling equipment, and shut off equipment when not needed
  • Wash vehicles less often and use commercial washing facilities
  •  Sweep or blow outside areas to clean, as opposed to hosing off.
Agricultural water conservation:
  • Grow crops that use less water
  • Manage soils to hold water more efficiently (by using mulches and cover crops, minimum tillage practices and increasing soil organic matter)
  • Schedule timing, duration and amount ofirrigation based on plant needs, soil moisture, and climatic conditions
  •  Control weeds that compete for water
  • Using more efficient irrigation practices. In order of efficiency, with flood as the least efficient:
    • Flood: low cost and flushes salts out of the soil, but high water loss through evaporation and leaching. Also promotes nitrogen loss and recharges the water table.
    • Furrow: relatively inexpensive, but high water loss by leaching, seepage and evaporation. Additionally, can cause water logging and salinization.
    • Sprinkler: good for medium to large fields, but water is lost through evaporation and wet leaves can contribute to foliar disease.
    • Micro-Irrigation: More than 90% efficient, but expensive to install and maintain. Additionally, water emitters can get clogged if water quality is poor.
  • Reuse irrigation water
  • Use wastewater for irrigation
  • Address supply system leakage issues


About the Author
Amanda Saunders is Program Coordinator at 4CORE. She was born in Florida and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While in Chapel Hill, Amanda worked with the town to conduct a greenhouse gas inventory for their Climate Action Plan. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys climbing, hiking, skiing, traveling, reading, and soccer. Amanda manages the Resource Smart Business Program.