It’s been a busy couple of weeks at Aspen Journalism since our last edition of The Roundup, so we’ll cut right to the chase. In this edition you will find six in-depth stories.
In search of community
We continued our “In search of community” series from Paul Andersen, with the third of a four-part look at the history of Aspen’s embattled community from the Utes to the age of affluence. Look for the fourth installment on Sunday.
Urban landscaping bill clears Colorado Senate
We tracked big developments to ongoing stories we have been covering. State legislators are advancing a bill that will ban new plantings of nonfunctional turf in many settings, as reported by Allen Best, in collaboration with his Big Pivots news site. Perhaps they read Best’s five-part series that ran in November and December looking at the growing movement away from thirsty grasses that many would argue have no place in the arid west.
Reservoir along Thompson Creek voluntarily canceled
A company that was seeking to extend its nearly 60-year-old conditional water right for a reservoir tied to oil-and-gas drilling that would be sited along Thompson Creek near Carbondale backed away from its application in water court, after Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett broke the news last month that the application was proceeding. “Other holders of similar rights ought to follow [the company’s] lead,” Will Roush, executive director of Wilderness Workshop, said in Sackett’s follow up. He credited Sackett’s work as “an awesome example of the value and difference that journalism can make on solving an environmental problem before it happened.”
Pitkin County energy and climate management
Data Editor Laurine Lassalle informed the community about how Pitkin County is poised to take a big step toward reducing the energy consumption of the luxury-home sector with the potential final adoption of a suite of code changes next week that would place a hard cap on the amount of energy that can be consumed by snowmelt systems, pools and spas and other exterior energy loads. This is the latest in a string of in-depth stories going back years on how the county is grappling with the climate and community impacts of the large homes. If these changes are enacted, planners estimate that a home with a maxed-out exterior energy budget would consume about as much power outside as inside, as opposed to now, when a home that has the largest-allowed snowmelt system uses three times as much energy outside as inside.
If Lincoln Creek contamination is naturally occurring, who cleans it up?
We also provided in-depth follow-up coverage of contamination issues plaguing Lincoln Creek. A meeting convened by water experts last week presented plenty of information about the potential sources and impacts of the problem, but it also highlighted how solutions to mitigate the heavy-metals leaching are as-yet unclear.
Colorado Springs cuts deal on reservoirs
Sackett also followed up her coverage of a plan from Colorado Springs Utilities to construct three small reservoirs in the Blue River basin above Breckenridge. CSU and a group of Western Slope parties that were opposed to the reservoirs struck a deal recently that will see CSU abandon rights for two of the three reservoirs, while transferring its rights in a third to Breckenridge and Summit County. But in the sausage-making of water policy and politics, reflective of the unquenched thirst from growing Front Range cities for more Western Slope water, the deal compels the opposing parties to not fight the Springs’ plans to expand a reservoir east of the Continental Divide that will allow it to capture more Colorado River basin flows. “These conditional rights we’re relinquishing in the agreement are for future reservoirs that would be difficult to permit and build for us,” a CSU spokesperson told Aspen Journalism. “And we can gain in average years that same yield and perhaps a little bit more by getting the Montgomery Dam enlargement completed.”
So there you have it. As always, it is our honor to pursue investigative reporting on questions of environment and community. Thank you for reading, and supporting, our nonprofit, local newsroom. Feel free to forward this to those who wish to stay informed on matters of such importance to the community.
– Curtis Wackerle
Editor and executive director
Aspen Journalism
Colorado Springs agrees to give up water rights for Summit County reservoirs
In exchange, the utility will be allowed to expand Montgomery Reservoir without Western Slope opposition
By Heather Sackett | February 6, 2024
On Jan. 16, the River District board approved the settlement agreement, which includes a commitment from Colorado Springs that the utility will support the River District’s efforts at securing the Shoshone water right.
Presentation details Lincoln Creek contamination but solutions unclear
Climate change may be increasing leaching-metals pollution of Lincoln Creek
By Heather Sackett | February 5, 2024
Panelists addressed the potential human health impacts from the contaminated water in the creek and at Grizzly Reservoir, a popular spot for summer camping, hiking and fishing.
Bill limiting nonfunctional turf planting clears Colorado Senate
Minor pushback to proposed limits on new water-thirsty grasses in areas that get little or no foot traffic
By Allen Best | January 31, 2024
“If we don’t have to start watering that turf in the first place, we never have to replace it in the future,” state Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, a co-sponsor, said in making the case for the proposed new state standard.
Company drops bid for Thompson Creek reservoir water rights
Puckett Land Co. says decision to voluntarily cancel 58-year-old conditional rights was for business purposes
By Heather Sackett | January 29, 2024
Companies have been able to hang onto these conditional water rights in some cases for over 50 years without using them because Colorado water law allows a would-be water user to reserve their place in the priority system based on when they applied for the right — not when they put water to use — while they work toward developing the water.
Post-war rise of skiing and culture creates both opportunity and rift
Aspen married economic development through cultural offerings and skiing as a novel synthesis
By Paul Andersen | February 4, 2024
“Some of the objections for Aspen having a celebration each year are the lack of housing, the shortage of dining space for more than ordinary crowds, disrupting the free and easy life of some few Aspenites, and generally cluttering up the streets and shops with extra people, some of them with money to spend.”
Pitkin County moving to place a cap on exterior energy use
Energy budget for new homes will help the county toward net-zero emissions goal, away from fossil fuels
By Laurine Lassalle | January 31, 2024
The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Dec. 6 approved on first reading a package of code amendments that place a cap on exterior energy use at 200 million British thermal units (Btu) per year and per parcel and implement new “electric-ready” requirements.
Data dashboard: Weekend winter storm boosts snowpack
Independence Pass and McClure Pass each gained between 1 and 1.5 inches of snow-water equivalent over the weekend.
By Laurine Lassalle | February 5, 2024
• Snowpack at Indy Pass increased from 7.8 inches of snow-water equivalent on Feb. 2 to 9.1 inches on Feb. 4 after a snowstorm hit the mountains over the weekend.
• Lake Powell was 34.8% full on Feb. 4, down from 35% last week.
• High temperatures at ASE went from 34°F on Jan. 26 to 42°F on Jan. 28.
Data dashboard: Lake Powell’s water levels are slowing dropping but remain higher than last year
Snowpack has been relatively stable since last week
By Laurine Lassalle | January 29, 2024
• Snowpack in the Roaring Fork basin reached an average of 9 inches of snow-water equivalent per site on Jan. 28, or 100% of median. That’s the same as last week.
• Lake Powell was 35% full on Jan. 28, down from 35.25% last week but up from last year’s 23.46%.
• High air temperatures at the Aspen airport went from 26°F on Jan. 17 to 42°F on Jan 21 before going down to 39°F on Jan. 24, which is about 4 degrees above normal.
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