Water & Drought

Trees rely on water to perform their most basic functions, and by shutting down for winter earlier, they can conserve water… but that means fall colors arriving earlier.

The town of Mancos is issuing citations as mandatory watering restrictions continue amid drought and heavy demand on the town’s water system.

Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper would like to see a new political party called the Agriculture First Party. That was one of the comments he made on a hot Thursday afternoon at an overlook to McPhee Reservoir.

Four Corners producers prepare for possible El Niño impacts, persistent drought, cattle-market uncertainty and an upcoming agritourism workshop in Cortez.

Southwest Colorado farmers are navigating an unusual harvest season after low snowpack, March heat, April freezes and sharply limited irrigation water.

Monsoon rains have so far delivered little help with moisture across the region.

Monsoon storms have improved short-term moisture in southwest Colorado, but McPhee Reservoir remains low and irrigators face major shortages heading into fall.

Montezuma-Cortez has adopted specific indoor-temperature thresholds as it manages aging elementary school cooling systems, while Mancos coaches are modifying outdoor practices to reduce heat-related risks.

Farmers and ranchers face rising debt, high input costs, weaker exports and drought as Colorado’s rural economy slows and Colorado River supplies remain strained.

Extreme drought, limited irrigation water and rising production costs are reducing crop yields as Southwest Colorado enters harvest season.