TELLURIDE— They are not often pictured in travel brochures; few vacations are planned with them in mind. And yet, Colorado’s below-ground water resources are every bit as vital as the famed mountain streams splashing down from above.

Now, two local sites have received official designation as Groundwater Guardian Green Sites through a national program designed to recognize outstanding groundwater stewardship.

For San Miguel County Commissioner Art Goodtimes, groundwater preservation is of utmost importance.

“After attending the national groundwater conference in Denver last year as a guest speaker, I was struck by how important groundwater protection and conservation is to the nation, and how little is being done,” Goodtimes said. “We have great surface water protection from state agencies in Colorado, including a comprehensive storm water regulatory program that San Miguel County helped strengthen recently. But groundwater is a different story. We don't even know the amount of water being used currently by exempt private wells in this state, or what kind of quality those wells have.”

The Groundwater Guardian Green Site Program is important because it demonstrates the county’s willingness to take the lead in natural resource preservation, he said.

“That's especially relevant as oil and gas, uranium and oil shale begin to boom in Western Colorado,” Goodtimes said. “If done without proper oversight and care, these strategic energy industries could potentially pollute our precious groundwater and damage the region for generations.”

San Miguel County has filed applications and received official designation for two Groundwater Guardian Green Sites, according to Open Space and Recreation Director Linda Luther. The two local sites include the San Miguel County Fairgrounds in Norwood and Down Valley Park near Sawpit. One more application will be filed concerning the Road and Bridge Shops.

“When that is done, we will have covered the county’s property in terms of groundwater management protocol,” Luther noted, adding, “We do try very hard to use best management practices in dealing with potential contaminants.”

According to its web site (www.groundwater.org) the national Groundwater Guardian Green Site Program encourages managers and superintendents of green spaces to implement, measure, and document their groundwater-friendly practices, while documenting the use of pesticides, fertilizers and water. The program emphasizes pollution prevention, water quality, and environmental stewardship.