water

Last week, the Colorado Department of Agriculture hosted a virtual town hall on new water regulations from the Food and Drug Administration. The meeting covered new harvest and post-harvest water requirements for farmers across the state, including those in southwest Colorado. And several politically-charged bills are headed to Governor Jared Polis’ desk. Two of them are Democrat-sponsored gun-control measures.

An above average SNOTEL report shows the state’s southwestern river basins are 139% of average for this time of year.

The Montezuma County Board of Commissioners held a public workshop on Monday to discuss plowing and maintenance at Chicken Creek near Mancos. And legislation to create a task force for high-altitude water storage was put on hold Monday afternoon during the state legislature’s Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Two Colorado Republicans who lost their primary races last month are raising unfounded claims of voter fraud and renewing their requests for recounts. And the U.S. house is considering a package of bills related to wildfire and drought this week.

Blue Mesa Reservoir once resembled a deep and healthy lake. But a 22-year drought - coupled with obligations to release water to downstream users - has left the reservoir almost 60 feet below the normal high watermark. Experts say it will take a lot more than one snowy winter to refill the reservoir.

Over 150 scientists will research snow and water for two years near Crested Butte, Colorado. The project tracking weather patterns from ‘atmosphere to bedrock’ is the first of its kind.

New Mexico’s primary Election was on Tuesday. Utah’s primary election is coming up as well, on June 28th. And a new study that looks at nearly two thousand years of climate conditions in the Colorado River has identified the worst drought in the recorded history of our region.

Quitobaquito Springs is a natural water source near the US-Mexico border in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. It’s a sacred site and historic homestead to a southern Arizona tribe. It's also now housing some of the state’s most endangered species. But the site is now in peril.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new round of funding for water projects this week. And Democrats at the Colorado state Capitol have passed a bill they say will protect elections from insider threats.

Snowpack levels in the Four Corners show small signs of improvement over last year, but some areas in the Southwest may face water shortages later this year. Avian influenza is affecting egg production, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says "no" to opening reserve croplands.