What's Happening Now with the Watershed Plan? After a series of public meeting between August and October of 2009, work is still going on behind the scenes on the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan. Plan organizers are taking comments on objectives and recommended actions from these public meetings and organizing them in a way that makes sense geographically, topically, and strategically. The Technical Advisory Group will take these draft objectives and recommended actions and make revisions based on real-world situations and possibilities. Once this process is accomplished, a draft plan will be written. At that time there will be more opportunity for input from stakeholders and the public. If you have quesitons about current work on the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan email Mark Fuller at fulcon@comcast.net. For more information on the plan visit www.roaringfork.org/watershedplan.
Conserving Water Saves Energy by Chad Rudow, Water Quality Coordinator
It may sound simple, but there’s an easy and often overlooked way we can all save energy and reduce our carbon footprint: conserve water. A recent River Network report details the energy and carbon emissions embedded in the nation’s water supplies. It accounts for nearly all the energy needed to move, store, treat, and heat the water we use.
This report estimates that our nation withdraws 149,000,000,000,000 (149 trillion) gallons of surface and groundwater for use each year. The energy required to provide this water accounts for 13% of the nation’s electricity consumption. This equates to 5% of all U.S. carbon emissions and is equivalent to the emissions of over 62 coal fired power plants! These stats lead to the simple conclusion that conserving water also conserves energy and reduces carbon emissions.
How can you help? Residential water heating comprises the largest share of these water-related carbon emissions. If every household in the U.S. installed efficient fixtures and appliances, estimated residential hot water use would be reduced by 4.4 billion gallons per year with a CO2 savings of 38 million metric tons. So if we all make a few changes the overall results are huge!
These are challenging times for local governments as they face declining tax revenues, budget cutbacks, aging infrastructure, and growing service demands. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, local governments are also suddenly responsible for long-term, statewide water management planning. At a time when the decisions being made with respect to Colorado’s scarce water resources really matter, local governments have a significant opportunity to protect the resources of the Roaring Fork Watershed. This document illuminates the way ahead for the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan.
RFC partners with Thompson Divide Coalition Roaring Fork Conservancy is working with Thompson Divide Coalition to protect water resources in the Thompson Divide area. This area, despite its relatively low elevation, is an extraordinary headwaters serving as the source of numerous local creeks including Thompson, Fourmile, and Coal creeks that flow into the Crystal and Roaring Fork Rivers. Thompson Divide Coalition, a broad based coalition including local ranchers, farmers, hunters, fishermen, recreationalists, conservationists, and community leaders, is working to protect these special places from the potential impacts of oil and gas development. Learn more at www.savethompsondivide.org.
by Chad Rudow, Water Quality Coordinator
