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<br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br />y <br /> <br />shapes and <br />arrangements, <br />plant physiol- <br />ogyand <br />precipitation <br />characteristics <br />of the differ- <br />The key factor <br />, <br /> <br />ent forest types. <br />is SNOW. <br /> <br />In general, higher-elevation forest <br />types yield a higher percentage of <br />water from precipitation. Simi- <br />larly, there is greater potential to <br />improve water yields with high <br />elevation forest types rather than <br />with lower ones. In addition to <br />the two types mentioned, other <br />forest types that foresters <br />recognize include pinion juniper, <br />aspen, douglas fir, mixed conifer <br />and lodgepole pine. <br /> <br />These plant associations have <br />remained for centuries. How, <br />ever, in a relatively short time <br />period trees have grown very <br />dense, and trees now dominate <br />the plant communities. It can be <br />difficult to recognize forest <br />density changes however be- <br />cause it comes about gradually, <br />with small, annual growth incre, <br />ments. And if one has only seen <br />our forests in their present <br />condition, as is the case for many <br />Colorado newcomers, it is easy to <br />assume that our forests have always <br />looked the way they do today. <br /> <br /> <br />Water Storage <br />in the <br />Atmosphere <br /> <br />."'" <br />"'" <br /> <br />,... <br />"ll. <br /> <br />Figure 1. Hydrologic Cycle <br /> <br />With the aid of then- and' now photographs as in Filrures <br />U (see next page) one can better understand the <br />dramatic changes our forests have undergone. Most <br />historical photographs were taken for purposes other <br />than forest comparisons, and yet they serve this purpose <br />well. The changes are most evident if there is a period <br />of 50 to 100 years separating comparison times. Photo, <br />graphs of old mining and railroad scenes, early mountain <br />towns, or schools with hillsides in the background work <br /> <br />well. I recently visited the YMCA Camp at Estes Park. <br />I looked at the 1911 camp photos of buildings and then <br />walked outside to view the same hillsides shown in the <br />background. Wow! What you usually will notice is that <br />trees now occupy previously open space. And this <br />phenomenon is almost universal across Colorado's <br />forested landscape, Keep in mind that the open forest <br />conditions near the turn of the century yielded native <br />stream flows that are the basis of early water rights. <br /> <br />--r <br /> <br />----".. <br />