Keeping Tabs on Snow: How New Tech is Helping Colorado Track Water

Colorado is stepping up its game when it comes to tracking snow and water. Two lawmakers, Rep. Jeff Hurd and Rep. Joe Neguse, have teamed up to push a bill through Congress. This bill aims to update how the U. S. monitors snowpack, which is crucial for predicting water supply. The bill, called the 2025 Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act, passed the House and is now heading to the Senate. Both lawmakers agree that accurate data is vital for managing water in the West. Hurd, representing western and southern Colorado, and Neguse, covering the central and northern mountains, understand the importance of reliable snowpack data for irrigation, drought management, and water allocation. This push comes at a time when Colorado and the West are facing serious water challenges. Chronic drought and strained resources, like the Colorado River, make accurate snowpack data more important than ever. Colorado gets about 80% of its water from snowpack, but climate change has been reducing snow water content since the 1950s. The bill introduces modern technologies like satellite imagery and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). LiDAR uses light beams to create 3-D models of the landscape, helping scientists measure snowpack depth more accurately. This data is essential for runoff forecasting and water management. Hurd emphasizes that families, ranchers, and water managers rely on snowpack forecasts daily. The bill provides them with better tools and more reliable information for planning. This effort mirrors a state-level measure adopted earlier this year, which also incorporates LiDAR and other technologies into a new statewide snowpack measurement program. The state's current snowpack monitoring system dates back to the 1960s, using SNOTEL sites with pressure-sensitive pillows and sensors. Colorado has over 100 of these sites, but the new technologies promise a more accurate and cohesive approach. Water entities like Denver Water and the Colorado River Water Conservation District have already partnered with LiDAR providers, showing the growing interest in this technology.