Record Low Rocky Snowpack Possible

Colorado's Western Slope snowpack could set a record this year, as it melts so fast that two rivers could be affected. The snowpack is uneven across the state, as Denver's snowpack is as heavy as usual. But west of the Continental Divide, scientists have marked a 30-year trend of dwindling snow. The less snow, the less runoff. With less runoff, trout anglers have a shorter season to enjoy in the mountains, some reservoirs are strained and valley forests become drier faster, setting the stage for more intense wildfires. And, of course, the decrease in mountain snow is one of the factors scientists are most confident will result as the earth's atmosphere continues to warm, according to a story in the May 16 Rocky Mountain News.