Streamflows struggling, Ruedi’s hydropower challenge
This week at Aspen Journalism, we broke news about a Bureau of Reclamation warning that water levels at Ruedi Reservoir could get low enough this winter to threaten hydropower production at the dam and, absent a big spring runoff, lead to cuts in water available next year. Friday’s data dashboard documents single-digit Roaring Fork streamflows through Aspen and Tracking the Curve dives into an unusually high amount of both “breakthrough” and nonresident COVID-19 cases in Pitkin County.
You may have also seen the news this week that Aspen Journalism’s founder and longtime editor and executive director Brent Gardner-Smith has accepted a new position as news director at Aspen Public Radio. It goes beyond saying that we are grateful to Brent for his vision and leadership establishing Aspen Journalism in 2011, and growing it into a strong local source of in-depth, investigative reporting. The move allows Brent, who has been working exclusively as AJ’s executive director since July 2020, to get back to the day-to-day production of journalism and opens the door to increased collaboration between Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio. We are excited for the next chapter and look forward to sharing more next week.
As always, thanks for reading and supporting Aspen Journalism.
— Curtis Wackerle, editor
How low can Ruedi Reservoir go?
By Heather Sackett | August 10, 2021
That means if there is below-average runoff again, some contract holders who own water in Ruedi could have to take shortages, something that has never happened before, Miller said.
Data dashboard: Single-digit streamflows on the Fork, first look at local Census data
By Laurine Lassalle | August 13, 2021
• The Roaring Fork through Aspen ran at 8.8 cfs on Aug. 11.
• Tri-county region saw 7.25% population growth since 2010.
• Out-of-state smoke worsens air quality.
Tracking the Curve
By Laurine Lassalle | August 13, 2021
In the past 28 days, 66% of Pitkin County’s cases have been vaccine breakthrough cases. Also, in that timeframe, 38% of all cases detected locally have been from visitors, who are less likely to be vaccinated than Pitkin residents.
High Pitkin County breakthrough case rate points to unvaccinated visitors
“In fact, 66% of all positive COVID-19 cases among residents in Pitkin County in the 28-day period ending Tuesday have been so-called ‘breakthrough’ cases, or those involving fully vaccinated residents. … ‘The breakthrough rate is a lot higher than expected,’ Vance said, adding that it should be around 25% of cases.”
Source: aspentimes.com | Read more
Latinos want Colorado’s new congressional and legislative maps to give them influence reflecting their growing numbers
“Latinos now make up 30% of residents in Eagle and Garfield counties, according to 2019 population estimates, and more than 10% of Pitkin County. The existing House district map divides the region into three districts, and the preliminary House map would divide that three-county region into four districts.”
Source: coloradosun.com | Read more
Glenwood Canyon to reopen Saturday with two-way traffic
“The measure to reintroduce gray wolves to former habitats west of the “With debris flows having altered the Colorado River’s flow in parts of the canyon, in at least one case pushing it up against the bike path beside the highway, engineers also had to ensure the river wasn’t scouring the eastbound highway infrastructure and causing structural damage.”
Source: gjsentinel.com | Read more
Colorado tourism suffered a $9 billion loss in 2020. Lodging properties were hardest hit.
The largest loss in 2020 was endured by lodging properties. Spending on hotels, motels and inns dropped 36% to $3.3 billion in 2020, from $5.2 billion in 2019. Restaurants and bars endured a 24% decline in spending, according to the Dean Runyan report.
Source: coloradosun.com | Read more
First-ever Colorado River water cuts will hammer Arizona farmers
“Arizona has positioned itself to weather the cuts by storing water underground and in Lake Mead and through conservation. It’s also trying to secure other water sources. Among the options are importing groundwater to metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson from other parts of the state, leasing more water from tribes, creating a more robust supply of recycled water and desalinating water from the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.”
Source: apnews.com | Read more
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