St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District

Not All Snow Is Created Equal ❄️💧

You may have heard the term "snow water equivalent" (SWE) in drought news, but what does that actually mean?

Here's the simple version: Snow water equivalent measures how much water is contained in the snowpack. It's the amount of water you'd get if you melted all the snow down to liquid.

Why does this matter more than snow depth?

Imagine two feet of fluffy, light powder versus two feet of heavy, dense snow. They're both two feet tall, but the heavy snow contains much more water. That's the difference SWE captures.

If you hear that snowpack is at 21% of normal, like it was for the South Platte basin on May 1st, this means there's only 21% of the water content we'd typically have stored in the snowpack at this time of year. Regardless of how the snowpack looks from afar, the water it contains is what really counts.

Colorado's snowpack is essentially the state’s water savings account. As it melts through spring and summer, that water flows into our rivers, fills our reservoirs, and supplies our communities and farms throughout the year.

Understanding SWE helps water managers plan better for the future, and in a drought year like this, every data point matters.

Want to look at snowpack data for yourself? Check out the District’s Data Dashboard at https://dashboard.svlh.gov/

Colorado has activated Phase 2 of the Drought Response Plan, but what does it mean? 💧

What is the Drought Response Plan?
Colorado's Drought Response Plan is a part of the state's Enhanced State Hazard Mitigation Plan and outlines the process for state action when drought conditions escalate. The plan operates in three phases:

• Phase 1: Monitoring and preliminary response, agencies track drought indicators
• Phase 2: Activates the Drought Task Force and establishes formal interagency coordination between the Task Force members (where we are now)
• Phase 3: Full activation with an official drought declaration and potential federal assistance requests

What is the Drought Task Force?
The Drought Task Force, last activated in 2020, brings together senior leadership and the brightest minds from key state agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Local Affairs, and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to compile information for addressing drought issues swiftly and effectively.

The group assesses drought conditions statewide, elevates local impacts to state leadership, and can convene regional or sector-specific workgroups to gather information and share resources.

Why Phase 2 Now?
"Colorado is experiencing the warmest year so far in our 131-year record, and one of the driest," said Governor Jared Polis. The activation allows state agencies to coordinate more effectively and ensure communities have the resources and information they need to respond. If conditions continue to worsen, the Governor may move Colorado into Phase 3 of the Drought Response Plan, which includes an official drought declaration.

The District continues to monitor conditions closely and coordinate with state and local partners to navigate this challenging year together.

Did you know Colorado has a Drought Response Plan? Tell us your thoughts below 👇



Photo Credit: CPR News

Meet Jenny McCarty, Watershed Program Manager at the District!

From favorite watershed spots to rapid-fire questions, we're pulling back the curtain on the team working to protect and manage our water resources every day.

Each month, a different team member will be spotlighted so you can get to know the faces behind the work. Who should we spotlight next? Drop a comment below! 👇

Explore Our Stream Management Plan Like Never Before 🗺️💧

We're excited to announce the launch of our new St. Vrain & Left Hand Stream Management Plan StoryMap: an interactive way to explore the future of our watershed!

The Stream Management Plan was years in the making, born from collaboration after the 2013 flood and shaped by input from water users, landowners, recreators, environmental advocates, and community members across our 500-square-mile watershed. Now, you can dive into the plan's key areas, flow management, habitat restoration, water quality, and use and management, through an engaging, visual format.

Whether you're curious about specific stream reaches, want to understand priority projects, or simply love learning about water in the basin, this StoryMap brings it all together in one place.

From the mountains to the plains, from headwaters downstream to the South Platte, this is the roadmap for balancing environmental health with the needs of agriculture, recreation, and our communities.

Explore the StoryMap at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/4b2ed66744824e34b7cb841bcf43db59.

Moving Forward Together: Coffintop Water Rights Agreement 💧

The District has reached an agreement with Save the World's Rivers that charts a new path forward for our Coffintop Reservoir water rights, one that does not include construction of a large on-river dam.

While the District was created in 1971, in part, to build Coffintop Reservoir on South St. Vrain Creek, the original concept no longer reflects the best use of this resource for today's needs and values.

Through productive dialogue in the water court process, we found common ground with Save the World’s Rivers. Under this agreement, the District will not pursue Coffintop Reservoir or any new on-river reservoir using these water rights. Instead, we'll return to water court with plans to use the rights at alternative locations that align with community needs, environmental goals, and sound water management.

For more than a decade, we've been working with partners including the City of Longmont, Town of Lyons, Boulder County Parks and Open Space, environmental organizations, and local food producers to develop a strategy for the best use of the Coffintop water rights, without building the actual reservoir.

"St. Vrain Creek is the lifeblood of our town, and a large dam upstream was never embraced by our community," said Town of Lyons Mayor Hollie Rogan. "We're pleased the District will not pursue Coffintop Reservoir and look forward to continued collaboration."

This historic agreement reflects our commitment to holding water rights for public benefit and working collaboratively to meet our community's evolving water needs.

Read more about the agreement at https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/21/south-st-vrain-creek-no-dam-agreement/

How much water does a healthy stream need?

The St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy District is partnering with graduate students from the CU Boulder Masters of the Environment (MENV) program for a Capstone project focused on environmental flows in the St. Vrain watershed. This marks the District’s first collaboration with the MENV program, connecting local water management with CU Boulder’s next generation of sustainability leaders.

MENV students Jessica Reid and Shadia Nagati are working with District staff to study environmental flow needs on St. Vrain Creek between Lyons and Longmont. This reach is identified in the Stream Management Plan as having elevated ecological risk during dry periods.

Using R2Cross stream surveys and hydrologic data from the Colorado Division of Water Resources, the team will identify the flows needed to support healthy aquatic habitat and help inform future environmental flow planning in the watershed. This work will be utilized by the basin’s Flow Advisory Group, which brings together water users, government and non-profit partners, and community members. The goal of the study is to ultimately develop voluntary minimum environmental flow recommendations that support healthy rivers, working lands, and resilient communities across the watershed.

The project is being conducted by Scott Griebling, Water Resources Engineer at SVLHWCD, in partnership with MENV Capstone Advisor Meghan McCarroll. The team will share project findings later this fall.

Learn more about the District and its work across the watershed at svlh.gov.

Masters of the Environment, CU Boulder

SAVE THE DATE!

The Longmont Water Fair is back June 14th, 2026

This annual event features hands-on science activities, creative art projects, live performances, a water ceremony, and conversations with local water leaders to explore water’s journey between Nature and home. St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District, along with dozens of other organizations, government agencies, community groups, and artists partner to curate a lively, accessible learning environment. We strive to provide learning that lands and actionable steps to help protect our water future.

Learn more at coloradowaterstories.org/longmont-water-fair

Ditch Inventory Program: One Year In! 💧

Last year, we launched the Ditch Inventory Program to help landowners and ditch users get the support they need to improve their systems.

So far, 9 ditches have joined the program and are in various stages of assessing needs, planning improvements, and preparing for funding opportunities. From identifying leaks and overgrown vegetation to ensuring water moves most efficiently to support growing local food, these ditches are taking important steps toward a more efficient future.

Is your ditch ready for some attention?
Here's what the program offers:

💧 Get your ditch mapped
💧 Work with an engineer to assess improvement needs
💧 Learn what it might cost to improve your ditch
💧 Discover available local, state, and federal funding
💧 Ensure your water gets where it needs to go

Whether you're dealing with infrastructure challenges or just want to understand your system better, we're here to help.

📞 Contact Watershed Program Manager Jenny McCarty at 303.772.4060 or 📧 [email protected] to learn more and get started.

Let's keep building on this momentum. Healthy ditches mean a healthier water future for everyone! 🌾

Did you know the District owns a reservoir adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park? 💧🏔️

Last month we highlighted Lake 4, and this month, we're heading higher into the mountains to Copeland Reservoir.

Named after the settler who constructed the dam around 1900, Copeland is a small but valuable piece of our water management efforts. This 100-acre-foot reservoir is part of the District’s augmentation program, releasing water back to the creek to offset other uses throughout the basin.

Copeland sits right at the Wild Basin entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, so the District regularly cooperates with the National Park Service, ensuring Copeland's operations complement the surrounding wilderness while doing critical work for our water system.

Curious about our other District managed water supplies? Visit svlh.gov to learn more.

A summer snapshot of Lake 4 to brighten your day. ☀️

Rock’n WP Ranch Reservoir, also called Lake 4, is a key part of the District’s water augmentation program, holding up to 600 acre-feet of water. Located south of St. Vrain Creek and west of 61st Street between Lyons and Longmont, the reservoir helps manage water resources while serving as habitat for fish, birds, and other local critters. 🌊🦆🐟

Lake 4 and its water rights are jointly owned by Boulder County Parks and Open Space and the District. While not open to the public, it’s an important piece of how we sustain water for the community. There are many small reservoirs like Lake 4 across the St. Vrain and Left Hand watershed, managed to support communities and ecosystems.

What is your favorite reservoir in the basin? Comment below.