The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and other irrigators in Montezuma and Dolores Counties will receive about 20 percent less water from McPhee Reservoir this year, according to Dolores Water Conservancy District General Manager Mike Preston.
Preston says because of this year’s low supply, irrigators’ allocations will range from 77 to 83 percent of normal. Low snowpack in the region over the winter has significantly reduced runoff into McPhee Reservoir.