Editing Glenwood Springs, Colorado (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Glenwoodwest.JPG|thumb|right|Looking west from [[Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park]] above Glenwood Springs]]
Glenwood Springs is located in the narrow mountain valleys that host the confluence of the [[Colorado River]] and the [[Roaring Fork River]]. The surrounding terrain is steeply contoured on all sides, containing several caves.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.colorado.com/activities/cavingspelunking| title=Caving/Spelunking| website=colorado.com| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=October 21, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021052637/http://www.colorado.com/activities/cavingspelunking| url-status=live}}</ref> The geology of the area includes [[Geothermal activity|geothermal]] activity, such as the local hot springs, but it is also evidenced through other features such as the [[Dotsero]] [[maar]]. Occasional proposals to leverage the geothermal energy for other purposes arise.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.postindependent.com/article/20080223/VALLEYNEWS/681494369| last1=Fowler| first1=Pete| title=City of Glenwood Springs explores geothermal energy use| work=Post Independent| date=February 23, 2008| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=April 1, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401205854/http://www.postindependent.com/article/20080223/VALLEYNEWS/681494369| url-status=live}}</ref> Glenwood Springs has experienced several mudslides throughout its history, a threat mitigated somewhat by public works.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.garfield-county.com/county-services/documents/Glenwood-Springs-Addendum.pdf| title=Addendum to the Garfield County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan| publisher=City of Glenwood Springs| date=2012| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=October 21, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021050845/http://www.garfield-county.com/county-services/documents/Glenwood-Springs-Addendum.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref>

Glenwood Springs is considered a walkable town by [[PBS]]<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/travel/travelmost.html| title=America's Most Walkable Communities| work=America's Walking| publisher=PBS| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=July 25, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160725110614/http://www.pbs.org/americaswalking/travel/travelmost.html| url-status=live}}</ref> and Walking Magazine,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.active.com/articles/america-s-best-walking-communities|title=America's best walking communities|date=February 2, 2000|access-date=April 18, 2015|archive-date=April 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418131704/http://www.active.com/articles/america-s-best-walking-communities|url-status=live}}</ref> included in the Walking Town Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.utne.com/environment/walk-of-fame-compass.aspx| title=America's Most Walkable Cities| work=Utne| date=September–October 2000| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=March 30, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330200722/http://www.utne.com/environment/walk-of-fame-compass.aspx| url-status=live}}</ref> Though the town's geography makes it a natural environment for pedestrians and cyclists, there are also trails running throughout<ref name="bikemap">{{Cite web| url=http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/205| title=Glenwood Springs Trail System| publisher=City of Glenwood Springs| access-date=November 14, 2016}}</ref> and around the city<ref name="trailmap">{{Cite web| url=http://www.visitglenwood.com/things-to-do/trail-guide| title=Trails of Glenwood Springs| work=visitglenwood.com| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=October 21, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021051123/http://www.visitglenwood.com/things-to-do/trail-guide| url-status=live}}</ref> that resulted from planning efforts that began in the 1980s in response to congestion and traffic.<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.postindependent.com/news/20889578-113/frontier-diary-a-pedestrian-bridge-to-the-heart| last1=Kane| first1=Willa| title=Frontier Diary: A pedestrian bridge to the heart of Glenwood Springs| work=Post Independent| date=March 3, 2016| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=April 1, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401223417/http://www.postindependent.com/news/20889578-113/frontier-diary-a-pedestrian-bridge-to-the-heart| url-status=live}}</ref>

Due to civic planning during the early years of the city, Glenwood Springs owns some senior water rights to tributaries of the Colorado River.<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/196/Water| title=Water Department| publisher=City of Glenwood Springs| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=November 15, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115133545/http://ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/196/Water| url-status=live}}</ref> Glenwood Springs water supply is sufficient for its population, unlike some areas of the [[Western United States|American West]], conservation plans have been enacted anyway for largely environmental reasons.<ref name="glenwood-springs.co.us">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1199 |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 26, 2016 |archive-date=December 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227055624/http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1199 |url-status=live }}</ref> The town's drinking water is supplied primarily through senior rights to major watersheds in the [[Flat Tops Wilderness Area]], and the [[tap water]] is generally of safe quality.<ref name="water1213">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1213 |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123191919/http://ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1213 |archive-date=January 23, 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Mineral deposits exist further up the [[Crystal River (Colorado)|Crystal River]] and in the Roaring Fork area, and petroleum resources are ample in western Garfield County,<ref name="oilgasmap">{{Cite web| url=http://www.garfield-county.com/geographic-information-systems/explore-live-maps-gas-wells.aspx| title=Gas Wells: COGCC Data| publisher=Garfield County, CO| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=October 21, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021050856/http://www.garfield-county.com/geographic-information-systems/explore-live-maps-gas-wells.aspx| url-status=live}}</ref> which brings tax revenue to Glenwood Springs. However, the town itself lies outside of the [[Colorado Mineral Belt]], and there are no mineral or oil and gas sources near Glenwood Springs proper or its watersheds.<ref name="oilgasmap" /> While the paucity of minerals and oil was disastrous for early miners hoping to strike it rich, modern Glenwood Springs has none of the typical Colorado mountain town legacy of resource extraction,<ref>{{Cite news| url=http://www.denverpost.com/environment/ci_28647978/colorado-faces-230-mines-leaking-heavy-metals-into| last1=Finley| first1=Bruce| title=230 Colorado mines are leaking heavy metals into state rivers| work=[[The Denver Post]]| date=August 15, 2015| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=April 12, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412233621/http://www.denverpost.com/environment/ci_28647978/colorado-faces-230-mines-leaking-heavy-metals-into| url-status=live}}</ref> generally good air quality,<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.garfield-county.com/air-quality/index.aspx| title=Air Quality Management| publisher=Garfield County| access-date=November 14, 2016| archive-date=November 15, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115114549/http://garfield-county.com/air-quality/index.aspx| url-status=live}}</ref> water, and land.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/trisquery.list?pSearch=Map%20Recentered&minx=-108.163147&miny=38.978539&maxx=-106.240540&maxy=39.995972&ve=7,39.487255,-107.201843| title=List of Facilities Reporting to TRI in Envirofacts| work=Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)| publisher=United States Environmental Protection Agency| access-date=November 14, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> However, [[Inversion (meteorology)|valley inversions]] and heavy traffic to [[Aspen, Colorado|Aspen]] can lead to air quality problems during exceptionally cold spells of winter.

At the [[2020 United States census]], the city had a total area of {{convert|15.136|km2|acre|order=flip}}, including {{convert|0.022|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

===Climate===
Glenwood Springs has a generally continental steppe climate, much more consistently stable than that of the [[Front Range Urban Corridor|Front Range]] and most of Colorado, though still decidedly continental and prone to periods of extreme weather. [[Microclimate]]s dominate Glenwood Springs, with areas close to the rivers often much more damp and cool than hillsides.

{{Weather box
|location = Glenwood Springs (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1893–present)
|width = auto
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F =  60
|Feb record high F =  67
|Mar record high F =  79
|Apr record high F =  88
|May record high F =  95
|Jun record high F = 102
|Jul record high F = 102
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F = 100
|Oct record high F =  88
|Nov record high F =  80
|Dec record high F =  65
|year record high F =102
|Jan high F = 35.5
|Feb high F = 41
|Mar high F = 51.5
|Apr high F = 59.4
|May high F = 69.8
|Jun high F = 81
|Jul high F = 87.3
|Aug high F = 85.1
|Sep high F = 76.2
|Oct high F = 63.8
|Nov high F = 47.2
|Dec high F = 35.4
|year high F =61.2
|Jan low F = 13.4
|Feb low F = 18.5
|Mar low F = 26.6
|Apr low F = 32.1
|May low F = 39.2
|Jun low F = 46
|Jul low F = 52.8
|Aug low F = 52
|Sep low F = 43.6
|Oct low F = 33.2
|Nov low F = 23.9
|Dec low F = 14.9
|year low F =33.1
|Jan record low F = −38
|Feb record low F = −30
|Mar record low F = −14
|Apr record low F =   2
|May record low F =  17
|Jun record low F =  27
|Jul record low F =  30
|Aug record low F =  28
|Sep record low F =  20
|Oct record low F =  10
|Nov record low F = −12
|Dec record low F = −22
|year record low F= −38
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.49
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.1
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.42
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.52
|May precipitation inch = 1.79
|Jun precipitation inch = 1.07
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.07
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.27
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.95
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.85
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.34
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.28
|year precipitation inch=17.15
|Jan snow inch = 17.9
|Feb snow inch = 11.2
|Mar snow inch =  6.6
|Apr snow inch =  1.8
|May snow inch =  0.3
|Jun snow inch =  0
|Jul snow inch =  0
|Aug snow inch =  0
|Sep snow inch =  0
|Oct snow inch =  1.1
|Nov snow inch =  5.3
|Dec snow inch = 14.9
|year snow inch =59.3
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 8
|Feb precipitation days = 7
|Mar precipitation days = 8
|Apr precipitation days = 8
|May precipitation days = 7
|Jun precipitation days = 5
|Jul precipitation days = 6
|Aug precipitation days = 8
|Sep precipitation days = 7
|Oct precipitation days = 6
|Nov precipitation days = 6
|Dec precipitation days = 8
|year precipitation days=84
|source 1 = WRCC (temperature and precipitation data 1981–2010, snowfall 1893–2012)<ref name = WRCC >{{cite web
  |url = http://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?co3359
  |title = General Climate Summary Tables - Glenwood Springs, Colorado
  |publisher = Western Regional Climate Center
  |access-date = December 17, 2012
|archive-date = June 30, 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140630023118/http://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?co3359
  |url-status = live
  }}</ref>
|date=December 2012
}}