THE COLORADO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND SCIENCE POLICY IN COLORADO

The Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) does not make policy in Colorado, nor is it a regulatory agency. Rather, CGS provides unbiased geologic information for policy makers at all levels of government. As a science agency, CGS also provides geologic advice and data to a variety of other constituents. During the 21st century, CGS has provided assistance to 20 different state agencies in the Executive Branch of State Government. CGS maps and reports are used by the academic community, the geotechnical community, the mineral and energy community, the water resource community, the ski industry, tourism industry, local government and the general public. CGS activities and research fall into five broad categories: Avalanche Forecasting & Safety; Geologic Hazards; Geologic Mapping; Minerals & Energy; and the Geology of Groundwater.

The CGS avalanche program has reduced deaths from snow avalanches in Colorado and kept highways open for commerce and tourism during the winter. Land-use reviews for potential geologic hazards in new housing developments are conducted on more than 500 sites each year. Approximately 47% of these reviews are along the Front Range. Seventy five new geologic quadrangle maps have been completed in the last 15 years resulting in an improved database for decision-making on a variety of important societal issues, including 20 maps along the southern Front Range that cover the outcrop area of the important Denver Basin aquifers.

The Mineral and Energy program has major new initiatives in geothermal energy and carbon sequestration. Twenty three million tons of CO2 per year are emitted from fixed sources along the Front Range. Geothermal energy can be a key part of the State's Renewable Energy Initiative. CGS conducted a statewide study on the potential for underground storage of water which has led to legislative initiatives and a major project in the southern Denver Basin. CGS regularly provides materials for the general public, teachers, and students on various topics in geology. A recent publication on the geology of Colorado has been used as a textbook at more than a dozen institutions of higher education.

The motto of the Colorado Geological Survey is “Science and Service for the People of Colorado.”