Forest Service 74d ago

On Colorado’s Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests, water for the region begins as snow in high-elevation locations before flowing down to creeks, reservoirs and irrigation systems that support communities across the Western Slope. It’s a quiet process, but it supports nearly every part of life downstream. However, that system has come under growing strain across recent decades. Years of drought, insect outbreaks and fire suppression has left forests with many more living and dead trees, leaving them vulnerable to not just wildfire, but also to a range of stresses that can impact critical watersheds. Forest Service video By Travis Weger.