The Daily - Day 2 - June 19, 2019 - 22

The Pulse
B I G

P I C T U R E

Adventurer and advocate
Josh Jespersen

Water Worries

The state of Colorado and the West face a
coming crisis. What can we do to solve it?
By Josh Jespersen

COLORADO IS MY ADOPTED HOME

state. It's where I climbed and
skied all the 14ers in record time,
where I call the backcountry my
home, and where I developed a
deep appreciation for public lands.
I've seen almost every corner of
this state and talked to locals in
every town, and I'm still able to
find new opportunities to fall in
love with our home every time I go
outside. I've committed myself to
environmental issues because I see
first-hand the impacts of climate
change in my own backyard, and
I'll do whatever I can to protect this
inspiring place.
What I do is dependent on consistent snowpack, clean air, and
healthy rivers. This week at Summer Market, I'm working with
Western Resource Advocates and
Business for Water Stewardship
to speak about healthy rivers in
the West alongside other river
adventurers, authors, and conservationists. All of us feel the pulse
of this complex environmental
ecosystem-I am tuned more
into snowpack and the impacts
of climate change, while others
are watching stream flows more
closely. But together, through a
set of diverse experiences, our collective message is that Colorado's

water supply is challenged and
our rivers are in trouble.
Think about this: Colorado's
water supply has diminished by
19% since 2000 and is expected
to decrease by another 15% by
2050. More than 80% of our water
comes from snowpack, which is
expected to decrease by 50% this
century. There is a widening gap
between the water that Colorado
has and the water that a prospering Colorado needs.
This was an epic snow year,
which could make you think the
problem is fixed. It isn't. The
Colorado River Basin is facing a
new normal of drought, increasing temperatures, and growing
populations. We had a wet year
in 2011, but it was immediately
followed by the driest two-year
period in recorded hydrology,
which dropped water levels at
lakes Powell and Mead to historic lows. We can't rely on Mother
Nature to fix our problems.
The solution to Colorado's water
crisis is all-encompassing, and
it's going to take a broad effort to
figure it out-outdoor companies,
athletes, creatives, media, and
NGOs all contributing diverse
perspectives and opinions. We
have to work together in various

"THIS WAS AN EPIC SNOW YEAR,
WHICH COULD MAKE YOU THINK
THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. IT ISN'T."
22

/ SUMMER MARKET 2019

ways to protect a region that sustains our lifestyles, our jobs, and
our future. We really cannot wait
a minute longer to protect this
place we love.
I'm proud to say that Colorado
is showing leadership. A couple of
weeks ago, Gov. Polis enacted legislation that puts Colorado on a
path to reducing carbon pollution
90% by 2050. This puts Colorado
in line with what science tells
us: Fully decarbonize by 2050 or
pass the tipping point of being
able to avoid the worst impacts
of climate change. New Mexico
and Nevada have made similar
commitments, and we need your
help getting other states to follow
the environmental leadership of
these Western states.
In another step, Colorado's new
Water Plan is a smart and comprehensive approach to solving the
water gap. Developed with the input of 30,000 farmers, scientists,
and citizens from every corner of
the state, it represents the long-

term solution for water conservation and river health. Now we
need to fully fund and implement
this conservation plan.
I hope you'll join our conversation at 3:30 p.m. today at The
Camp, where we'll be talking about
water in the West and how all of us
can work together to keep it around
for the next generation.
And then I invite every Coloradobased business to stick around for
happy hour to preview "For the
Love of Colorado," a state-wide ad
campaign to raise awareness of
Colorado's water shortage and the
importance of funding the Water
Plan, a solution to one of our most
pressing environmental issues.
Josh Jespersen is a former Navy
SEAL who holds the speed record
for skiing/riding all 54 Colorado
14ers and an advocate for action
on climate change and river stewardship. For more information on
water and rivers in Colorado, go to
fortheloveofcolorado.org.

Photograph by

Carlo Nasisse
http://www.fortheloveofcolorado.org
The Daily - Day 2 - June 19, 2019

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