March 8, 2015. I could have fished all winter in Durango with the weather we’ve had, except the “W” word got in the way, as my husband always says…i.e. work. With a new accounting program, a new network and two software migrations at our Pine River Library…yes, two… in one month, it’s all I can do to find time to sleep!
The dust is settling and some snowfall over the last month will help local rivers.That said, southwest Colorado is still only at about 60% snowpack and the latest reports from the Durango Herald indicate the Animas is struggling. High fecal counts taken near the Colorado/New Mexico border are troubling. A recent count of fish indicate that numbers are down. Hopefully this is just one of those cyclic adjustments, but it’s disconcerting.
Our rivers and wildlife areas are so important to the health and welfare of our country. One of my missions when writing my book was to bring awareness to the importance of taking care of our very fragile earth. I worry about the 30,000 new homes going in on the eastern side of Denver. I worry about the Pebble Mine debacle up in Alaska’s pristine Bristol Bay. If you’re not aware of this issue, please go to the link to learn more about it.
As I walked toward the Animas today, it was hard to imagine that these resources are threatened. I heard magpies crackling, the tumbling sound of red-wing blackbirds and the gurgling sounds of small waterfalls on the Animas. The lenticular clouds hovered over the cliffs and the temperature reached a high of 55. With daylight savings time and spring just around the corner, there’s a lot to feel optimistic about. But, only if we are good stewards of our precious planet.
