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	New Political Environment of Water Historic drought The last serious Colorado drought used for planning purposes occurred in the mid-1950s. The only more severe drought on record was the great dust bowl of the early 1930s. Climatologists claim the current drought exceeds written records and can only be compared by way of tree ring data to a multi-year drought in the 1650s. Snow pack in 2002 was 19% of average and reservoir storage 48%. The economic loss is estimated at above $1 billion. If precipitation is low this winter, storage will go below 20%, leading to severe rationing and economic dislocation. The metro area has not really faced a drought in several decades. It has been a shock for voters and major challenge for water planners.
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