Blue River Watershed Group

Follow-Up to 2013 State of the River

BRWG — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:37:06 +0000

On Tuesday, May 7, the Summit County State of the River took place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Summit County Community and Senior Center. It was well intended and very informative. If you’d like to check out the State of the River agenda, we posted it previously.

On May 9, the Summit Daily News reported on State of the River event, and we wanted to follow up with a link to that article as well.

Blue River Diversion Newsletter – Inaugural Edition

BRWG — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:15:30 +0000

Water Commissioner, Troy Wineland, has released the first issue of the Blue River Diversion with the following introductory message:

“Hello” and welcome to the inaugural issue of “The Blue River Diversion”, a monthly compendium of water issues in Summit County and the Colorado River Basin. The intent of this newsletter is to advise, inform, and enlighten interested community members, from boating enthusiasts to water right owners… irrigators to ski resorts… municipal districts to their residential water users. Whether your water use is limited to that which you consume inside your home, or is part of a multi-million dollar industry in our remarkable state, I trust that you will find the information within these pages helpful and illuminating. I shall strive always to remain objective and reasonable in my presentation of issues and events, with a commitment to remain abreast of matters most relevant to you.
I encourage your feedback and suggestions… this is, after all, your Blue River watershed!
- Troy

Summit State of the River – 2013

BRWG — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:04:04 +0000

As announced in the Summit Daily News and on the Colorado River District website, the annual Summit County State of the River will take place on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Summit County Community and Senior Center.

Agenda for the Summit State of the River

6:30 p.m. Introduction
Jim Pokrandt, Colorado River District
Joanna Hopkins, President, Blue River Watershed Group Board

6:35 p.m. Blue River Watershed Group Project Update
Update on projects at the Pennsylvania Mine, Swan River and Ten Mile Creek
Steve Swanson, Executive Director, BRWG

6:45 p.m. Old Dillon Reservoir Update
Gary Martinez, Summit County Manager

6:55 p.m. Drought On
Nolan Doesken, State Climatologist, Colorado State University

7:20 p.m. Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand
Eric Kuhn, General Manager, Colorado River District

7:45 p.m. Summit County Water Rights Administration for 2013
Troy Wineland, Summit County Water Commissioner

8:00 p.m. Dillon Reservoir Operations
Bob Steger, Water Resources Engineer, Denver Water

8:15 p.m. Green Mountain Reservoir Operations
Ron Thomasson, Hydrologist, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

For more information, check out the Event Announcement.

Drought Watch 2012: Summit County Still Dry

BRWG — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:10:33 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Although recent rains have made our trails and gardens a little soggy, Summit County is still in an extreme drought. The most recent NOAA Drought Watch map clearly illustrates that the entire state of Colorado ranges from severe to exceptional drought conditions. In addition to town outdoor- watering restrictions currently in place, individuals have a responsibility to voluntarily conserve as much water as possible.Most consumers are aware of the EPA’s Energy Star label for energy-efficient appliances, but a lesser known program is the EPA’s WaterSense Program. WaterSense products are independently tested and certified as 20 percent more water-efficient without sacrificing performance. The WaterSense label applies to toilets, bathroom sink faucets, showerheads and weather-based irrigation controllers. In addition, newly constructed homes may earn a WaterSense certification for the entire home, ideally increasing the resale value of the home in future years. If half the households in Colorado installed WaterSense faucets or aerators, we could save enough water to supply almost 4,000 Colorado households with water for a year.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News

Drought Watch 2012: What’s the protection for the environment in our drought?

BRWG — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 22:08:16 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Editor’s Note: This is the 10th in a series of articles that the Summit Daily will run over the summer to keep the community informed about ongoing drought conditions in the county.The recent Summit Daily News series on our drought demonstrates the depth of preparation and coordination by local water providers and emergency response organizations in response to an emerging water crisis. These articles also help citizens understand what conservation measures and user restrictions are in place to most efficiently use the dwindling sources of water. Local governments have prepared well to ensure that we continue to have an adequate source of water for our needs even in times of drought, and want to make sure you understand what responsibilities you have as an end user to protect this resource.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News

Drought Watch 2012: Water Planning for Summit County’s Future

BRWG — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:50:52 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series of articles that the Summit Daily will run over the summer to keep the community informed about ongoing drought conditions in the county.

The reality of a drought here in Summit County, the state of Colorado and now nationally may make county residents wonder what is being done locally to ensure the availability of water supplies. Fortunately, the summer “monsoon” weather cycle has brought much needed rain over the last several weeks and at least temporarily reduced our fire danger and water demands for some uses. However, water policy planning, water rights acquisition and resource development take years to implement, requiring political will and significant financial commitments that go well beyond whatever current weather pattern we might be experiencing.

The board of county commissioners works in the water arena in two major ways. First, to provide water locally to certain residential, agricultural and commercial customers and other projects that benefit the public generally such as the hospital development, environmental restoration and stream flow enhancement for environmental and recreational purposes.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News

Join Us for the Second Annual Headwaters Hops Fest!

BRWG — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:40:45 +0000

The Second Annual Headwaters Hops Fest will take place on Thursday, August 16 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Tiki Bar in Dilon.

For more details, please check out our email invitation.

Drought Watch 2012: The New Normal?

BRWG — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:47:25 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a series of articles that the Summit Daily will run over the summer to keep the community informed about ongoing drought conditions in the county.

A spate of big, destructive and early wildfires throughout Colorado and the West this year has climatologists, foresters and firefighters questioning whether the fire-prone conditions are the “new normal.”Extended drought, beetle-killed pine trees, unnaturally dense forests and increased development along the forest boundaries all have contributed to the intensity, scale and destructiveness of modern-day wildfires.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News

Drought Watch 2012: Recent Moisture Aids Breckenridge’s Water-saving Efforts

BRWG — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:18:30 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Editor’s Note: This is the seventh in a series of articles that the Summit Daily will run over the summer to keep the community informed about ongoing drought conditions in the county.

Colorado is experiencing a severe drought in many parts of the state. Due to the drought conditions in Summit County, the flow in the Blue River continues to decline, and while the Breckenridge water supply is not in as dire straits as others, the town feels it is important to apply mandatory water restrictions to all Breckenridge water users, including out-of-town users.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News

Drought Watch 2012: Straight Creek: The Water Source for Dillon

BRWG — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:55:27 +0000

[From the Summit Daily News]

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth in a series of articles that the Summit Daily will run over the summer to keep the community informed about ongoing drought conditions in the county.

The main source of drinking water for the town of Dillon is Straight Creek. Straight Creek begins at the top of the Continental Divide above the Eisenhower/Johnson Tunnels, and flows down along Interstate 70 into Dillon Valley. Projects to protect the water quality in Straight Creek include fire mitigation, sediment collection and barriers. Rapid response to hazardous materials spills is also critically important for Dillon’s water supply.

Dillon shares Straight Creek and the diversion with Dillon Valley Metropolitan District. The flows in Straight Creek are above levels that we saw in 2002 but they are still 73 percent below normal. Based on historical records we feel that trend will continue into the fall. Dillon currently does not have any raw water storage that is connected to the town such as a lake or reservoir.

Read the full article in the Summit Daily News