Recent figures show snowpack across Colorado is up by almost half after late-winter, early-spring storms.
The Denver Post reports that while the snowfall that pounded Colorado's mountains in recent weeks has helped break the near-term drought, water experts aren't declaring an end to the troubling long-term trend of low water levels as the state's climate shifts to greater deficiency of moisture.
In Colorado, snowpack forms a strong pillar of water storage, but spring rains and summer monsoons will still be required to keep this year's water at a needed high.
The different a wet winter can make. Compare the U.S. Drought Monitor this week to one 6 months ago: pic.twitter.com/8NTNzakcCN
— Luke Runyon (@LukeRunyon) March 21, 2019
Colorado River District Community Affairs Director Jim Pokrandt says if trends continue, 2019 will be only the fifth year the state's water-storage level is at or above average since 2000.
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