The San Juan Water Conservancy District (SJWCD), with a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, has released the first of three short educational films regarding the watershed and the future of the water supply in Archuleta County.
The video, “The Value of Snow,” will be shown in multiple venues in the county and can also be viewed online via the SJWCD website: sjwcd.org.
The SJWCD is organized and funded by the citizens of Archuleta County to be an active leader in all issues affecting the water resources of the Upper San Juan River Basin. In order to enhance the understanding of our limited water resources, the district employed professional filmmaker Christi Bode to produce these films.
All water uses — environmental, agricultural, recreational, industrial and municipal — are important and need to be understood. It is the goal of the SJWCD to use these tools to help our constituents gain knowledge and understanding of the benefits and the risks associated with our watershed and the water it provides. Our community’s economy and our residents’ well-being are directly dependent on the health of our watershed. The risks are many and include drought, wildfires, mass earth movements (landslides), pollution and diversions.
The second film in the series, “This is Your Watershed: Upper San Juan River,” is under production and shows how collaborating with other water organizations and stakeholders enrich our understanding of our San Juan River home. It is expected to be released later in the year.
The films will explain the water supply by using qualitative and quantitative data collected over decades. Risk management and Colorado River Compact compliance requirements will be incorporated into explanations of the needs of all water users.
The creation of this film series is part of the SJWCD’s strategic plan to educate the Archuleta County community about the water resources of the Upper San Juan River Basin and related issues, including climate change, future water needs, water resource planning, water conservation and the work of the SJWCD.
Organizations and individuals interested in organizing a showing of “The Value of Snow” should contact the SJWCD through sjwcd.org. More information is available through the SJWCD website.
