Dust is melting mountain snow earlier

The snow in Colorado's high country — the source of drinking water for Colorado Springs and much of the West — is melting early this year, and it may be more than the spring thaw draining the peaks of their pearly white.

Throughout the high country, and particularly in the southwest mountains, the snow is covered with a red film from several dust storms this year. Experts say the dust is making the snow disappear up to a month sooner than usual as the grit absorbs the sun's energy and melts the snow.

"The dust certainly seems to be a huge factor this year in the snowmelt," said Andy Barrett, a researcher at the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "The pictures that I've seen show the dust is covering most of the state, and it's a lot of dust."

The dust has been traced to the Colorado Plateau, which spans Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, and research has found the amount blowing into the Rockies has increased 500 percent since humans settled that region. Some scientists blame agriculture, grazing, energy development and off-road vehicles for kicking up the dust.

A dozen dust storms have hit southwest Colorado this spring, including one April 3 that turned the skies red over many mountain towns.

Barrett's group has been studying the impact of dust on snow since 2003, and he said this year is the worst they have seen. The dust is spread through the snowpack like layers in a cake.

Colorado's snowpack was close to average in early April, but it has dropped quickly since. The statewide snowpack Friday was 60 percent of the average for May 15. But in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, snowpack was 32 to 39 percent of average.

Western Slope rivers are running high early and there have been flood advisories issued. A water release into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, part of a settlement in a long court case over flows on the Gunnison River, was moved forward 10 days.

Mountain climbers, who usually enjoy spring skiing in the abundant snowfall of the southwestern peaks, are reporting skiing on dust that strips the wax off skis.

"It looks as if the landscape was spray painted," said Chris Landry, director of the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies in Silverton. He said many areas are melting a month earlier than they normally would.

He has toured the state and found the same dust layers in snow across the mountains. The effect of the dust on water quality and mountain flora is still being studied.

The impact hasn't been as great in the mountains that provide water for the Front Range. Snowpack in the Colorado River Basin, which supplies Colorado Springs through tunnels beneath the Continental Divide, was at 70 percent of average Friday. The Arkansas River Basin was at 67 percent.

Kevin Lusk, water supply engineer for Colorado Springs Utilities, said melting has jumped in the past week in the high basins that provide the city's water, but not so fast the water can't be captured. Utilities' reservoirs were at 78 percent of capacity Friday .

Pikes Peak, the source of 20 percent of the city's water, had little or none of the dusty snow seen elsewhere, Lusk said.