San Juan Mountain water year 2020 starts dry, but is on the upswing

The 2020 water year (which started Oct. 1, 2019) began like a desiccated whimper in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. But as of Jan. 1, thanks to hefty storms in December, things are looking up.

Last year's wild, record-setting winter resulted in a massive avalanche cycle that left tangled fields of old trees and other slide debris scatter…