DENVER — Rain in the forecast for the Mile High City is bringing relief to not only the environment, but also to local researchers who rely on the precipitation. The Water Technology Acceleration Platform (Water TAP) at CSU Spur is helping to serve as a platform to 'launch new technologies and challenge new systems.'
Sarah Millonig, associate director at the CSU One Water Solutions Institute, explained they have a rainwater collection system that uses rooftop runoff for irrigation projects.
"So hopefully with what's coming through today, we might get some water moving through this system," said Millonig. "It's collected here in the lab, but then it's actually filtered and pumped and stored outdoors, and we use it for on-site irrigation of portions of our backyard, which features a lot of native plants and climate-adaptive plants."
Denver7 has reported extensively on the drought impacting many parts of our state with extremely little snow and unusually high temperatures. Now with rain and potentially snow in the forecast for later this week, Millonig explained how these showers will help them.
"We have a 10,000-gallon storage tank right below me that is currently empty. We have not had a lot of precipitation this year in terms of snow or rain, and we really need that to feed our research," Millonig said.
Seeing very little snowfall this year, Millonig emphasized that both stormwater and precipitation are critical alternative water sources not only for irrigation but also for agricultural and building needs.
"In Colorado, storm water in particular is highly variable in terms of both the quality of that water and the quantity, so when we don't have a lot, it really impacts our research that informs real-world decision-making," Millonig said.
Across town, Populus Denver is also preparing for the rain. The building is designed to resemble Aspen trees, and rain hits the structure in a unique way.
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"We have shaped the lids of our windows to help channel rainwater away from the windows themselves and help keep our facade, you know, looking clean and healthy here in downtown," Thomas Hudson, environmental experience manager, said.
The windows are designed to shade the building and perform well in the Colorado climate. The hotel also has a green roof to provide habitats for wildlife.
"You know springtime in Denver means things are coming back into bloom and that totally includes our roof garden," Hudson said.
For the people, plants, and places across Denver, the incoming spring showers are a welcome sight after a dry season.
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