Colorado Reader Feb. 2020: Soil, Water, and Air Stewardship | Page 3

Water - Essential for All Life
You have probably heard the phrase, “Water is essential for all
life.” And that is 100% true! Life on earth cannot be sustained
without water. We rely on it to hydrate and clean our bodies,
nourish our crops and our gardens, cook food, keep our
animals healthy, for use in many industrial applications, and
SO MUCH MORE. Water is considered a renewable resource
because it is restored again and again by the water cycle.
In Colorado, we are in a unique position as a “headwater
state.” Hawaii is the only other headwater state. There are no
rivers that flow into Colorado. Nearly all of our water supply
comes from the rain and snow that falls throughout the year.
Amazingly, the water that falls in Colorado supports millions
of people in our state, plus 17 other states and Mexico!
Statewide the annual average precipitation is only 17
inches of rain, snow, hail, and sleet. However, the mountains
receive closer to 60 inches. The natural environment – all
the living and non-living things in our ecosystem – uses 85
percent of the precipitation. That leaves only 15 percent
of the water for the many other ways we use water.
How does Colorado make sure everyone gets their share of
the water? One way is through the Colorado Water Plan.
The Colorado Water Plan was developed in 2015 to look
ahead and develop solutions to meet the future water needs
of a growing population, while still supporting the existing
water uses Coloradans value and rely on. It is like a road map
to support healthy watersheds, the
environment, recreation and tourism,
What
thriving cities, and viable agriculture.
__________
Name four ways you used water today.
____________________ _______________________
____________________ _______________________
What is one way YOU can help
conserve water in your home?
___________________________________________
If you could add one idea to the
Colorado Water Plan to help future
generations, what would it be?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Answer: Water
Colorado’s population is estimated to
double from the current five million
residents today to ten million by 2050.
This means we must be working today
to figure out the best ways to sustain
that many people in the future!
do you
call a
melted
snowman?
The Water Cycle

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