This document summarizes several news stories from Colorado: 1) A board game called "Colorado Cannabis Craze" that simulates the marijuana industry in Colorado has become popular since legalization passed. The game sends players around Colorado collecting cannabis to sell. 2) Heavy snowfall over the past few days has boosted Colorado's snowpack levels in the important Colorado River basin from 72% to 93% of average, improving water supply outlook. More snow is expected which could push levels even higher. 3) Despite the recent gains, the Colorado River is still considered the most endangered in the U.S. due to overuse and climate change reducing flows, threatening water supplies for 40 million people. Ne

1. DENVER & THE WEST
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By Scott Condon Aspen Times
Aspen has evolved into a hub of Colora-
do’s marijuana industry, at least in a home-
grown board game called Colorado Canna-
bis Craze.
The game was created by two partners in
Louisville-based Hilljack Entertainment on
April 20, 2011, but sales didn’t really light
up until voters passed Amendment 64.
The board game sends two to six players
on a journey around Colorado while roll-
ing dice. They must acquire six strains of
cannabis from eight eligible cities and
towns so they can sell to a dispensary in
Denver and make their way to Denver In-
ternational Airport with $1 million. There
are pitfalls along the way, including stops
by the “Colorado Highway Patrol” and
rivals’ raids on their stash.
“It’s really a game of strategy,” co-owner
Mike Ginwright said.
B B B
RTD TO OPEN CREDIT
CARD READERS AT ALL
LIGHT RAIL PLATFORMS
ROLL ANOTHER NUMBER:
POT BOARD GAME A HIT
Denver Water contents
Denver Water supply reservoir contents, in acre-feet of water, compared
with figures a year ago and the historical median:
Reservoir Capacity Contents 2013 2012 Median
Antero 19,826 15,669 79% 79% 99%
Eleven Mile 97,779 97,949 100% 102% 102%
Marston 12,955 9,011 70% 63% 53%
Strontia Springs 7,163 6,719 94% 95% 93%
Chatfield 11,134 9,519 85% 92% 93%
Dillon 249,095 156,897 63% 95% 89%
Gross 29,811 14,170 48% 58% 46%
Ralston 7,276 5,581 77% 53% 56%
Meadow Creek 3,670 0 0% 77% 12%
Cheesman 79,064 48,073 61% 86% 83%
Total 517,773 363,558 70% 90% 83%
Students walk to classes on a snow-cvoered bridge at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where a spring storm dumped 13.9 inches. More is forecast for Wednesday. RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
By Joey Bunch The Denver Post
The snow season saved its best
for last this year, boosting snow-
pack in the reservoir-rich Colorado
River basin from a woeful 72 per-
cent of average on Feb. 2 to a prom-
ising 93 percent Tuesday.
From Saturday to Tuesday alone,
the percentage against the 30-year
average jumped by 7 percentage
points.
“It’snotdoneyet,”stateclimatolo-
gistNolanDoeskensaidTuesdayaf-
ternoon. “What we got yesterday
and last night was just sort of a pre-
cusor to a big system that should ar-
rive in the mountains Wednesday.”
Areas that saw more than 2 feet of
very wet snow Sunday and Monday
could pick up as much as 18 more
inches Wednesday, he said.
“It’s made a super strong come-
back in the last four days,” Doesken
saidofthestate’ssnowsupply,which
providesmostofthewaterColorado
needs for household use, irrigation
and recreation all year long.
Denver could see up to 5 more
inches of snow Wednesday, and a
40 percent chance of snow is in the
forecast for Thursday, according to
the National Weather Service.
The temperature in the city
Wednesdayisexpectedtopeakat30
degrees, followed by a forecast high
of 34 Thursday, before temperatures
rebound to 48 degrees Friday and
into the mid-50s for the weekend
and Monday.
Mage Hultstrand, assistant snow
survey supervisor for the Natural
Resources Conservation Service in
Lakewood, said the high percentage
of normal is a bit misleading but in a
SNOW»7A
Bridging snowpack gap
Colorado River basin levels leap from 72 percent of average on Feb. 2 to 93 percent Tuesday
Colorado River “most endangered”
An analysis found there’s
not enough water to meet
current or future demands.
By Bruce Finley The Denver Post
Big spring dumps brought moun-
tain snowpack to 93 percent of nor-
mal along the upper Colorado Riv-
er, but worries about westerners
drawing too much water are inten-
sifying.
The advocacy group American
Rivers on Wednesday will declare
the Colorado River “the No. 1 most
endangered” in the nation.
Federal authorities warn that
even if courts step in to reallocate
shrinking river flows, 40 million
people who rely on the Colorado
still would face problems.
A recent federal analysis found
there’s not enough water in the Col-
orado River to meet current de-
mands — let alone future demands
from expanding cities. The river
also plays a key role in generating
electricity, growing food and eco-
systems — yet today it barely
reaches the ocean. Climate-change
projections show 10 to 30 percent
less water in the river by 2050.
“We can only solve this problem
by working together,” Anne Castle,
the U.S. Department of the Interior
assistant secretary for water and
science, said at a University of Den-
ver law school forum.
Negotiating competing uses on
an oversubscribed river “is not
without pain, not without litiga-
tion,” Castle said. However, a judi-
RIVER»7A
Source: Denver Water
Andrew Henkart, center, and son Nathan worship Sunday at First Plymouth Congregational
Church, which supports gun control legislation. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Local church sings
praises of gun laws
The Englewood congregation stands
out – and alone – with its formal stance.
By Monte Whaley The Denver Post
All light rail riders in the Denver area will
soon be able to swipe their credit cards to
pay for fares.
The Regional Transportation District
recently completed the installation of
Ticket Vending Machines — or TVMs —
with credit card readers at all light rail
platforms.
Passengers can start using their credit
cards Sunday, April 28 — which also marks
the opening weekend of the “W” FasTracks
light rail line from Denver to Jefferson
County.
The new touchscreen TVMs have been
installed at every light rail station in down-
town Denver, the Central Platte Valley and
Southwest Lines. The Southeast Line will
be upgraded with new software and hard-
ware, so that all TVMs have the capability
to accept all major credit cards.
Colorado Cannabis Craze is available at
One Love Aspen, a Mill Street smoke
shop. Janet Urquhart, Aspen Times
By Electa Draper The Denver Post
Praise the Lord and pass laws on ammunition
and guns.
The First Plymouth Congregational Church, a
United Church of Christ in Englewood, has taken
a formal position on gun control.
Not just the pastor, but the whole congregation.
They have called on state and national govern-
ment to, for starters, strengthen requirements for
gun ownership, set limits on magazine capacities,
ban assault-style weapons, fund research on gun
violence, close gun-show loopholes and better
fund services for the mentally ill.
The church also is training its staff to recognize
the seriously mentally ill, get them assistance and
help keep others safe from them through a state-
wide education program called Mental Health
GUNS»6A
4A» NEWS wednesday, april 17, 2013 B denverpost.com B the denver post 66