Never far from Phoenix

The town of Breckenridge sponsored a town clean up on May 21. This event wasn't just for seasoned veterans but for all ages of the community. This family trio, Erica, Phoenix and Erik, were instilling the value of taking pride in ones community and respect for the waterway as they made their way along the Blue River Bike Path into the heart of town. Little Phoenix was a dedicated cleaner upper who was most enthused about reaching the Riverwalk Center for the bbq "party". Outside motivation never hurts.  Thanks for taking time to cleanup the town and thanks for chatting with MYOW.

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Blue River Inlet

This is where the Blue River flows into the Dillion Reservoir, the confluence of its tributaries, Ten Mile Creek and the Snake River are on the horizon. Blue River fly fishing in the inlet can be extremely productive. Monster trout move into the river during the spawning runs of the spring and fall. 

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June in May

Breckenridge has a rich history that combines hard core mining and the unique endeavors of progressive individuals. MYOW met June at the Barney L. Ford  house/museum in historic Breckenridge. June not only shared the interesting story of Mr. Ford but she shared her own remarkable story of growing up in Japan, buying the water rights to her property, her family lineage to weather forecasting in the west, and  her connection to the water quality and quantity.

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Arm of the Snake River

The Snake River is a short tributary of the Blue River, approximately 15 miles long, in central Colorado. It drains a mountainous area on the west side of the Front Range in southeastern Summit County east of Keystone. The Snake rises near the continental divide near Webster Pass and descends through a steep canyon to the north past the former mining camp of Montezuma, then turns west to flow past Keystone, where it joins the Blue from the east as an arm of Dillon Reservoir.

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Sam I Am

This renaissance architect/ painter/ conservationist / solar power using /father from Boulder, Colorado stopped to chat with MYOW. Sam was in Breckenridge to lead a watercolor workshop at Breckcreate when the tricked out trike caught his eye as it took a water break outside of the Old Masonic Hall. Sam shared his stories of  water in Colorado, his thoughts on rain harvesting, self composting toilets, honey bears and his talents in watercolor. Sam thanks for doing your part, it was a treat to chat.

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Dillion Reservoir : Denver's Water

Completed in December 1963, Dillon Reservoir is the largest water storage facility in the Denver Water system holding over 40% of Denver's water. The entire town of Dillon, Colorado, and a hydroelectric plant were relocated to build the dam. The dam was built to divert water from the Blue River Basin through the Harold D. Roberts Tunnel under the Continental Divide into the South Platte River Basin. Dillon Dam is an earth-fill dam, 5,888 feet long by 231 feet above the Blue River stream bed. Dillon Reservoir's surface area of 3,233 acres and 26.8 miles of shoreline.

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Jim and Kevin 

Breckenridge is known by most as a ski destination but it beckons to others during mud season as well. These two gentlemen were visiting for a college reunion of sorts. Jim and Kevin chatted with MYOW about a variety of topics, Dallas Mavericks, the Wizard of Oz and most importantly the astonishing water footprint of their favored beverage, coffee.

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Ten Mile Creek

The Town of Frisco is located in central Summit County on the west shores of Dillon Reservoir and east of the base of Royal Mountain. Ten Mile Creek runs in an easterly direction through the city and ultimately into the Dillion reservoir which serves Denver Water. Ten Mile Creek is relatively small in size and flow, primarily featuring pocket water. It is known as an uncrowded stream for some good fly fishing except during runoffs when the high flows in the creek can be almost unfishable due to its steep gradient. 

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Town Clean Up

Saturday was town cleanup day in Breckenridge. Locals gathered at the Riverwalk Center for gloves and garbage bags at 9am. They then set out to give back by picking up. This dynamic duo, Meghan and Ray, hauled in over 4 bags of trash just from around the dredge pond. These two were eager to share stories about their engaged community that they recently call home. We chatted about the Colorado River, water rights, cookie cutter subdivisions and the amazing water pressure in their home that rivals a Seinfeld episode. Thanks for being so welcoming to an outsider from Arizona and thanks for being so engaged in your local and world community.

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Breckenridge Water

The Town of Breckenridge's water division facilitates everything from water treatment, to water delivery, to water bills. Currently the town's water supply runs through Gary Roberts Water Treatment Plant, located near the Goose Pasture Tarn reservoir 2 miles south of town. The current plant is rated at 4 million gallons per day. With the current growth rate of the area, a feasibility study for a second water treatment plant was conducted in 2011. The study came to the recommendation that an additional 3 MGD plant be built to meet future population demands, provide redundancy to the existing treatment plant, provide alternative water supplies in case of wildfire in the watershed, and provide additional service to the existing homes and lots near the existing water system boundary. 

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24 pack

"Truck stops aren't known for shopping deals but this was a bargin 24 pack of water for $3.99 and a bag of ice to boot!"

This image was submitted by Charles S from Gallup, NM.

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Blue River

The Blue River is a tributary of the Colorado River that is approximately 65 miles long. It rises in southern Summit County, on the western side of the continental divide in the Ten Mile Range, near Quandary Peak.
It flows north past Blue River and through the heart of Breckenridge and into the Dillion Reservoir which provides the city of Denver with 20% of it's water. Ultimately, the Blue River flows into the Green Mountain Reservoir which provides hydroelectric power and diversionary water for irrigation purposes as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.

My Your Our Water will be in Breckenridge, Colorado in collaboration with Breckcreate May-June 2016 to collect and share water stories from the West where water worries often run high.

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Once upon the longest levee mural

The Arkansas River levee is the canvas for the Pueblo Levee Mural Project‚ a 3-mile-long piece of artwork that holds the Guinness Book of World Records’ distinction as being the world’s largest continuous painting.The mural began in the 1970s with isolated "graffiti" but took hold when a group of CSU-Pueblo students painted large mural artworks along the levee. It did not take long for other artists to lend a helping paint brush to different sections of the levee. Over time‚ the pieces merged together‚ making the levee a continuous tapestry of shapes‚ colors and images. The Pueblo Conservancy District began a renovation of the  90-year-old levee in 2014 unfortunately eliminating or adversely effecting the majority of the mural.

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The Pueblo Conservancy District’s plans to renovate a 90-year-old levee along the Arkansas River will eliminate a nearly three-mile-long mural painted on the levee’s facade - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/planned-destruction-3-mile-long-mural-pueblo-sounds-done-deal#sthash.omGDIeXp.dpuf

The Pueblo Conservancy District’s plans to renovate a 90-year-old levee along the Arkansas River will eliminate a nearly three-mile-long mural painted on the levee’s facade - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/planned-destruction-3-mile-long-mural-pueblo-sounds-done-deal#sthash.omGDIeXp.dpuf

The Pueblo Conservancy District’s plans to renovate a 90-year-old levee along the Arkansas River will eliminate a nearly three-mile-long mural painted on the levee’s facade - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/planned-destruction-3-mile-long-mural-pueblo-sounds-done-deal#sthash.omGDIeXp.dpuf

South Platte Reservoir

For close to 50 years, this site in Littleton, Colorado was used for gravel mining as well as concrete and asphalt production. Centennial Water and Sanitation District built the South Platte Reservoir to store surface water for Highlands Ranch customers. The transformation from gravel pit to municipal water storage facility was complete in 2007.

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Mora River

The Rio Mora is a tributary of the Pecos River and part of the Arkansas River watershed. It has a sizeable wild brown trout population and is stocked with rainbow trout half a mile upstream from the confluence with the Pecos.

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Mora River

The Rio Mora is a tributary of the Pecos River and part of the Arkansas River watershed. It has a sizeable wild brown trout population and is stocked with rainbow trout half a mile upstream from the confluence with the Pecos.

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Water Pump

"This our water pump that is used on our ranch in Winters, California to supply water to the furrow irrigation system for the crops." 

This was submitted by Russel from winters,CA.

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1899 Refuse Act

The Refuse Act is a United States federal statute governing use of waterways. The Act, a section of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, prohibited "dumping of refuse" into navigable waters, except by permit. And yes, permits were granted. And yes,smaller non navigable waterways were not protected.
additions and changes to the Refuse Act have been made over the course of a century, most notably Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972,  amendatory legislation including the Clean Water Act of 1977 and the Water Quality Act of 1987.

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Double Water

 Public access to clean water is often taken for granted.

In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US.   - See more at: http://www.waterandhealth.org/public-water-fountains-gone/#sthash.qvIAjjqd.dpuf

In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US.   - See more at: http://www.waterandhealth.org/public-water-fountains-gone/#sthash.qvIAjjqd.dpuf

In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US.   - See more at: http://www.waterandhealth.org/public-water-fountains-gone/#sthash.qvIAjjqd.dpuf

In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US.   - See more at: http://www.waterandhealth.org/public-water-fountains-gone/#sthash.qvIAjjqd.dpuf

In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US.   - See more at: http://www.waterandhealth.org/public-water-fountains-gone/#sthash.qvIAjjqd.dpuf

"In 2012 EPA began collaborating with US mayors “to reinvigorate our nation’s supply of public drinking fountains” and “publicize the benefits of drinking safe, affordable tap water.” According to the Agency’s Bring Back the Water Fountain! web page, promoting the public fountain is one way to foster an understanding of the tremendous efforts of approximately 155,000 public water systems in cities and municipalities throughout the US."

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I

Irrigation

Furrow Irrigation: 

A partial surface flooding method of irrigation normally used with clean-tilled crops where water is applied in furrows or rows of sufficient capacity to contain the designed irrigation water system.

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Cove Tide Pool

"Tidal pools exist in the intertidal zones. These zones are submerged by the sea at high tides and during storms, and may receive spray from wave action. At other times the rocks may undergo other extreme conditions, baking in the sun or exposed to cold winds. Few organisms can survive such harsh conditions."

This image was submitted by Jamie S from Santa, Cruz.

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On the Road

My  Your Our Water hit the road in the fall of 2015 traveling from Arizona to Michigan and back. My Your Our Water traveled through 11 states visiting water ways along the route. MYOW is about to hit the highways and venture to through the Rockies to check out water in the west. Stay tuned for updates.

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Fourteen Fire Hydrants

The National Fire Protection Association standards require that private hydrants placed on or near public streets be painted a color that will distinguish them from public hydrants. Furthermore OSHA standards require sources of non-potable water be painted violet. 

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CONSERVATION

Every drop counts in the struggle to save water. "Save Water: Report Leaks" signs are posted on bathroom mirrors on the University of California Davis campus.

This image was submitted from the campus of UC Davis.

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Safety Water

"A standpipe is a type of rigid water piping which is built into multi-story buildings in a vertical position or bridges in a horizontal position, to which fire hoses can be connected, allowing manual application of water to the fire. Within the context of a building or bridge, a standpipe serves the same purpose as a fire hydrant.When standpipes are fixed into buildings, the pipe is in place permanently with an intake usually located near a road or driveway, so that a fire engine can supply water to the system. The standpipe extends into the building to supply fire fighting water to the interior of the structure via hose outlets, often located between each pair of floors in stairwells in high rise buildings. Dry standpipes are not filled with water until needed in fire fighting."

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Do Not Drink

This hand washing station at UC Davis is clearly marked- do not drink. The water in used in these temporary stations is non potable. 

This image was submitted from UC Davis.

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Summer

Temperatures are beginning to rise drastically in some areas of the country and people are looking for ways to cool down. 

" During the summer its too hot for the dogs outside so we fill a baby toy pool to let them cool off and bring their body temp back down."

This was submitted by Mary S from California

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Conservation

Conservation of our natural resource of water is a goal shared by many.  The route  to get there often varies: some turn the faucet off while they  brush, some use low flow toilets, some rip out their grass. This couple encourages saving water by drinking beer.

This image was submitted by the crab fries booth at the Stagecoach Festival

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Lake Perris State Recreation Area

"Lake Perris is an artificial lake completed in 1973.It is the southern terminus of the California State Water Project, situated in a mountain-rimmed valley between Moreno Valley and Perris, California. In 2005, the water in Lake Perris was drawn down by about 20 percent (about 24 feet) due to safety concerns with the dam. An extensive modern study concluded that the dam could be partially breached if a 7.5 magnitude or higher earthquake were to strike in the area. Heightening the engineers' fears was the fact that the San Jacinto Fault, easily capable of creating a 7.5 tremor, passes just a few miles north of the lake. It may take two years or more for the state to plan a course of action and bolster the dam."

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 Flash Flood Control

 "Floods happen in a flash. They are common where I live in the Moreno Valley. Water is powerful and it goes where it wants to go. These canals help direct water off the roads but water often makes it's own path."

This was submitted by Alessandra in Moreno Valley, California.

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 Arctic Glacier Ice

"Over 100,000 people attend Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals in the middle of the desert. Large amounts of water and ice are trucked in for the three weekends of events."

This image was sent from Coachella by Alice. 

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Oregon Coast

"Water can be amazingly calm and surprisingly destructive. This image was taken after an intense storm in mid March of 2016. My girlfriend took me to this spot for my birthday"

This image was shared my Ian R of Brookings, Oregon.

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