The Eastern Plains, usually baked golden brown by this time of year, are a lush shade of emerald green.
In metro Denver, many people have turned off their sprinklers, not watering their lawns for the past month.
Many families have not yet turned on their air conditioners, which means lower energy bills.
Day after day of quenching rains, unusual for May and rare for June, have altered the contours of Colorado, at least for now.
“We have alternate feelings running from joy to despair,” said Denver Water’s general manager, Chips Barry.
“We are delighted that all our reservoirs are more than full, and we’re happy that the city of Denver looks so green,” he said. “But we’re concerned that our revenue projections for 2009 clearly are not going to hold up.”
Denver Water’s revenue comes not from taxes, but sales of water.
“Up ’til the first of May, we were on target or a bit above, but since May and June, people are not using water at the rate you’d normally expect in the summer,” he said.
The department will weather this season, however, with cash reserves set aside for just such fluctuations.
Because rain has cooled temperatures, “people are not using their air conditioners like they usually do,” said Xcel Energy spokesman Joe Fuentes .
At least one of the utility’s action plans has been postponed.
“We were getting ready to send out a press release about cooling tips in the summer, but we decided to hold it ’til the sun comes out,” Fuentes said.
In this high-desert climate, lawns are now lush and velvety.
Newly planted sod thrives.
Even desert cacti are blooming.
“I turned off the sprinklers and haven’t watered for a month or so,” said Sarada Krishnan, the Denver Botanic Gardens’ director of horticulture.
“The moisture is very good, but I think vegetables will be a bit slow coming up, especially tomatoes, which like hot weather,” she said.
But all this moisture has been great for scenic places like Rocky Mountain National Park.
“It’s very lush and green,” said spokeswoman Kyle Patterson. “It’s a spectacular wildflower season, with a variety of flowers and colors.”
Colleen O’Connor: 303-954-1083 or coconnor@denverpost.com
Second-soggiest June
This month is the second wettest June since Denver weather records began in 1872, the National Weather Service reported Saturday. Through Friday, Denver International Airport measured 4.86 inches — 3.52 inches above normal.
The wettest June on record for Denver was in June 1882 with 4.96 inches. For 2009, 10.38 inches have been measured at DIA— 2.51 inches above normal.
