Rattlesnakes have a lot of misconceptions or folklore surrounding them because they are often perceived as mysterious and are generally misunderstood. Colorado Parks and Wildlife species conservation coordinator Tina Jackson has spent the last 20 years learning about snakes, and she shared her knowledge of rattlesnakes in the latest Colorado Outdoors podcast, episode No. 28, released Wednesday. Click here to listen to the podcast episode on rattlesnake
The Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy invites proposals for original research in the United States that evaluates the suite of tools, practices, and processes the Babbitt Center has identified as crucial to water sustainability and for connecting land use and water management. This RFP is open for applications until May 15, 2022. Learn more.
Last year, the Babbitt Center and the Lincoln Institute’s Center for Geospatial Solutions released a peer-reviewed map of the Colorado River Basin that showcases the area’s geography and hydrography. Mountains to Sea: The History and Future of the Colorado River addresses inconsistencies found among other widely used maps of the region. Hard copies of the map are still available. Learn more.
Upper Colorado River Commission Approves Drought Response Operations Plan for 2022
April 21, 2022 (Salt Lake City, UT) - The Upper Colorado River Commission approved the 2022 Drought Response Operations Plan, which calls for 500,000 acre-feet of water to be release from Flaming Gorge Reservoir between May 2022 and April 2023 to protect critical elevations at Lake Powell. The Plan will now go to the Secretary of the Interior for final approval.
“Developing the 2022 Drought Response Operations Plan is an unprecedented and significant action by the Upper Colorado River Basin states to protect the Colorado River System for all who rely on it. The 500,000 acre-feet to be released from Flaming Gorge Reservoir in the coming year is in addition to the 161,000 acre-feet of water previously released from Blue Mesa and Flaming Gorge Reservoirs,” said Colorado River Commissioner Becky Mitchell. “In total, the Upper Basin has contributed 661,000 acre-feet of water to protect critical elevations at Lake Powell. The Upper Basin States are doing our part to protect the Colorado River System.”
The Drought Response Operations Agreement was signed in 2019 by the Upper Basin States and the Secretary of the Interior to minimize risks to Lake Powell. The 2022 Drought Response Operations Plan is a one-year plan under that Agreement.