THEATRE CLASSES AT THE DCPA

State University.

e seasonal peak refers to the snow-water equivalent — the amount of liquid water in snow — in the snowpack. e peaks vary regionally and year to year, and the data can be sparse for elevations higher than 11,000 feet and lower than 9,000 because of the distribution of data collection stations, called SNOTEL sites, Goble said.

In Colorado, the snowpack has already passed its historical peak in southern basins, including the Upper Rio Grande, Arkansas and the combined San Miguel-DoloresAnimas-San Juan basin. Northern basins, like the Yampa-White, Gunnison, Colorado main stem, North Platte and South Platte, will peak this weekend or later this month. at means more winter storms might roll through — and help add to the water supply — but they will balance out with spring runo as temperatures warm.

“ at’s not to say that the moisture that falls after peak snowpack isn’t important,” Goble said. “In fact, it is really important, what happens in late April and May, in terms of the overall runo that we get. But I think you’ll probably see our numbers peak quite soon here.”

Western Slope river basins, which feed the Colorado River, were all reporting above-average snowpack Wednesday. e snowpack in the Upper Rio Grande basin, which usually peaks April 2, was at 135% of the historical median, according to SNOTEL data April 5.

In southwestern Colorado, the combined San Miguel-DoloresAnimas-San Juan basin blasted past its historical median this season, reporting the highest snowpack in the state at about 180%. e basin typically peaks April 2 with a snowwater equivalent of 18.1 inches. is year, the basin reported 31.5 inches, which is half an inch lower than the maximum recorded between 1987 and 2022.

“In the modern SNOTEL observation era, we’re right on the doorstep of a record,” Goble said. “I’m not sure if we’re going to get there … but we’re going to get darn close to a new, modern era snowpack record in the San Juan combined basin.” e region has been hit hard by the drought in recent years, and water o cials, farmers, ranchers and other water users are enthusiastic about the deep snowpack.

For Ken Curtis, general manager of the Dolores Water Conservancy District, the plentiful snowpack means that the local reservoir will ll, and the district is even starting to plan a managed release for rafters and ecological purposes, he said.

Montezuma County emergency manager Jim Spratlen said the high snowpack could also mean ooding as rivers swell in May and June. Spratlen’s team was already updating emergency planning resources online and handing out sandbags to people in the towns of Dolores and Mancos in early April as a precautionary measure.

“Basically, we prepare for everything,” he said. “We prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” e Gunnison County snowpack was well above average according to SNOTEL data, said Scott Morrill, the county’s emergency manager.

As of April 6, projections from the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center indicated that three areas of the Western Slope, in Mo att, Routt and Gunnison counties, are already more than 50% likely to see ooding.

Higher, northern elevations are still seeing new snow, and spring runo is weeks away; however, emergency managers in those areas are also preparing for the spring runo . ey’re taking precautionary steps, like clearing ditches and culverts, holding planning meetings, running high-water public service announcements and monitoring ow-rates and areas prone to ooding. ey’re also watching weather forecasts for signs of prolonged warming, higher nighttime temperatures and duston-snow events, all of which can speed melting.

“What the Snotel data does not re ect is the mid and low elevation snow levels/water content,” he said in an email to e Colorado Sun.

“As of a couple weeks ago, readings at all of the low/mid elevation sites were very high, with some of them at historic highs.” e Gunnison and Yampa-White basins were at 161% and 146% of their historical medians, respectively, as of Wednesday. Both will pass their usual seasonal peaks this weekend. e Colorado main stem, which was 132% of its historical median Wednesday, usually peaks around April 14.

In Routt County, particularly north of Steamboat Springs, conditions are similar to 2011 which was a big ood year, said David DeMorat, emergency operations director.

“It all depends on how quickly it melts. at’ll be a key thing,” he said.

Before the spring runo heightens in coming weeks, the key for community members is to contact their local emergency management o ces and sign up for their alert systems, Spratlen said.

“To us, that is one of the biggest things that the public really needs to do, and then they will be noti ed if something’s going on,” he said. “ ey’re going to be very aware of it, whether it’s a law enforcement issue, a ood, a re evacuation, or whatever.” is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Thu 4/13

Sat 4/15

Family Fun Friday- Glow Disco @ 12am

Apr 15th - Apr 14th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Nests & Eggs! Homeschool

Program @ 9am / Free

Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-6594348 ext. 53

Storytime in the Park @ 3pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 East Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Standley Lake Bird Walk @ 7am

Standley Lake Regional Park, 8600 Simms Street, Westminster. prl@ cityofwestminster.us, 303-6582794

Sun 4/16

World of Beer Series featuring Cohesion Brewery 21+

@ 1am

Apr 16th - Apr 15th

Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Wed 4/19

Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ 1:10pm / $5-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver

Medicare 101 Class (4/19) @ 3pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Colorado Ballet @ 2pm

Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis Street,, Denver

Mon 4/17

Colorado Avalanche vs. Winnipeg Jets

@ 6pm / $50-$999

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Global Soul Featuring Paranoid Image

@ 7pm 100 �ickel, 100 �ickel St, Broom�eld

Anavrin's Day: Hoffbrau Thursday! @ 9pm Hoffbrau, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, West‐minster

Fri 4/14

Crafty Corner (4/14)

@ 4pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

2023 All-Out Beat the Heat 5K, 10K and Half Marathon @ 7am

Church Ranch Of�ce Park, 10170 Church Ranch Wy, Westminster. events@alloutmultipro.com

Adventure Explorers: Rocks & Rope Series @ 2pm Apr 15th - Apr 16th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Cooking with a Cop @ 3pm

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Teens: Escape Room @ 6:30pm Fort Lupton Community / Recreation Cen‐ter, 203 S. Harrison Avenue, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Samantha Bee: Your Favorite Woman @ 7pm / $39.50-$79.50

Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm, Denver

Phil Zuckerman: Healing the World Through Secular Humanism April

2023

Colorado Mammoth vs. San Diego Seals @ 7pm / $20-$999

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Catch Me If You Can @ 7pm / $15-$35

The Unitiive Theatre, 800 South Hover Road, Longmont

@ 7pm / $11

Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 West 32nd Avenue, Golden. Events@jeffersonhu manists.org

Teague Starbuck @ 9pm

Elevate Grill & Bar, 2831 W 120th Ave #200, Westminster

Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ 6:40pm / $5-$300 Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

Housing Q&A With Brothers Redevelopment @ 5:30pm Anythink Huron Street, 9417 Huron Street, Thornton. swhitelonis@any thinklibraries.org, 303-452-7534

Volunteer Appreciation Event @ 11pm Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Maker Space- April @ 11pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Thu 4/20

Nikki Lane @ 8pm Bluebird Theatre, 3317 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver

Tue 4/18

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (4/18) @ 4pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ 6:40pm / $5-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver

Boris and the Joy @ 7:30pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Damn Yankees @ 7:30pm Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada