Good morning!
Lots of water news, lots of fire news today. Captain Planet would be proud (I hope people still get this reference).
With our powers combined, here’s today’s news.
Product Team
P.S. Get your SunFest tickets!
THE NEWS
WATER
Has your water bill gone up? Depends on where you live in Colorado.
For some Coloradans, the cost of turning on the water tap has been rising for decades, and experts say it is primed to keep climbing. In this latest addition to our High Cost of Colorado series, water reporter Shannon Mullane looks at where Colorado water bills have risen, by how much and why.
Oops! 40,000 acre-feet of water slipped through the cracks at Lake Powell
The shifting of water in 2023 to balance the contents of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, required under a set of operating guidelines approved in 2007, resulted in an accidental release of 40,000 acre-feet of water that will not be restored. Jerd Smith explains what happened and what it means.
INTERLAKEN FIRE
Wildfire burning near Twin Lakes doubles in size
A wildfire burning on the south side of Twin Lakes grew to at least 413 acres Wednesday, doubling in size since it was ignited on Tuesday, officials said. Evacuation and pre-evacuation orders remained in place as the fire continued burning in a popular hiking and camping area about 12 miles south of Leadville. More details from Olivia Prentzel.
Abandoned campfire suspected cause of wildfire burning near Leadville
In an update Wednesday night, the U.S. Forest Service said an investigator located an abandoned campfire ring where the fire likely started, about 60 yards from the Interlaken trail and 1.5 miles from the trailhead. “This campfire was not properly extinguished and continued to burn. It is believed that the campfire was abandoned several days prior to its report on June 11,” the Forest Service said in a social media post.
OUTDOORS
Colorado rivers are peaking — and so are drownings
At least 18 people have died in Colorado’s rivers, streams and reservoirs so far this year as river flows reach historic highs as part of a coordinated release to benefit endangered fish in the Colorado River. Jason Blevins has more.
MORE NEWS
Section by Kevin Jeffers | Product Team
COLORADO REPORT
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Section by Danika Worthington | Presentation Editor
THE OPINION PAGE
COMMUNITY
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What’s Happening
Juneteenth celebrations. June 19 is the official date of Juneteenth, the national holiday recognizing the historic day that enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom. But what happens when a holiday falls right in the middle of a workweek, as it does this year? You start celebrating the weekend before.
Denver’s Juneteenth Music Festival takes over the Five Points neighborhood starting Saturday, with free concerts (headlined by Bow Wow), more than 200 vendors, and equity-themed block parties (hello, First Time Homebuyer Party and Kaiser Permanente Health Zone). The Juneteenth Parade, which dates back to the 1950s, kicks things off at 11 a.m.
In Colorado Springs, the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival starts Friday afternoon with a local performance showcase from 3-4 p.m. and a comedy show beginning at 6 p.m. Weekend events include a car show, a meet and greet with the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus and an Emancipation ceremony, along with live music throughout the weekend.
Up north, the Fort Collins Juneteenth Festival starts with a youth night and concert on the lawn at Foothills Mall, then continues through the weekend with a vendor market, food trucks, a TikTok dance party and Sunday church on the lawn.
Later in the week, Out Boulder hosts a Liberation Day celebration, and the Longmont Juneteenth Celebration happens next Saturday, June 22.
Free; June 14-22; Various locations in Colorado
Tiny Boat Flotilla. The second annual Tiny Boat Flotilla is hosted by Wolverine Farm Publick House. All are welcome to enter the race. Boats must be made of natural materials, and measure “smaller than a house cat and bigger than a shoe.” Free; 11 a.m., June 15; Whitewater Park, 201 E. Vine Dr., Fort Collins
FIBArk. A not-so-tiny boat festival in Salida. Four days of races — footracing, bike racing and river running — along with live music, amusement park rides, a talent competition and a basketball free throw tournament. Water levels are high on the Arkansas right now, and all river activities will be monitored for safety, with the possibility of postponing some events until August. Free-$10; June 13-16; Riverside Park, Salida
CBCA Creative Dialogues. Help the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts shape their legislative platform during one of six upcoming listening sessions. Over the next two months, CBCA staff travel to Greeley, Mancos, La Junta and Glenwood Springs for in-person sessions, and will host two virtual sessions for Front Range BIPOC artists and arts educators. Tomorrow night’s session meets in the Greeley Public Library at 6:30 p.m. Free; 6:30-8 p.m., June 13; Greeley Public Library Innovation Center, 501 Eighth Ave., Greeley
Section by Parker Yamasaki | Reporter
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