RBC | The White River Alliance, a local stakeholders group for the White River, met Dec. 4. Erin Light, the Division 6 Water Engineer, who is in charge of all administration of water rights on the White River (and Yampa and Green), was the guest speaker. She announced that Governor[Read More…]
Tag: Drought
Drought moves Colorado toward water speculation
MEEKER | There’s a concept called “demand management” in the news in Colorado, and here’s a simple definition: Landowners get paid to temporarily stop irrigating, and that water gets sent downstream to hang out in Lake Powell. It’s an idea long talked about because of increasing drought and the very[Read More…]
Fire season is not over
RBC | Extreme drought and fire conditions continue to plague Northwest Colorado as we head into mid-autumn. According to Rio Blanco County Sheriff Anthony Mazzola, last week the Rio Blanco Fire Protection District responded to five human-start fires, four of which were allegedly started by hunters in the forest. “We[Read More…]
These hay fields know something we don’t; how to save the Colorado River
RBC | Grand County rancher Paul Bruchez stands in a hay field near Kremmling, holding a small tuft of hay between his fingertips, twirling it back and forth, seeing how quickly it disintegrates after a summer without water. The plant, known as timothy, feeds thousands of cattle here in the[Read More…]
Colorado River District webinar highlights long drought, rising temps as major threats to Western Slope water
Special to the Herald Times RBC | Rising temperatures in Western Colorado are reducing average runoff from snowpack, robbing the Colorado River system of water, and forcing farmers and water providers to plan for a new reality that includes less water from the Colorado River. In the third session of[Read More…]
White River Basin snowpack at 90%
RBC | Reporting sites for the White River Basin indicate December’s total precipitation at 90% of average and at 81% of last year’s average as of January 2020. Year-to-date precipitation through December is at 73% of average and 100% of last year’s average. Reporting sites for the White River Basin[Read More…]
More snow needed to make up last year’s deficits
RBC | After a below normal December, Colorado’s snowpack is approaching a pivotal point during the winter. Snowpack in the Yampa, White and North Platte basins is above normal at 104 percent of the median.Precipitation for December was 64 percent of average and water year-to-date precipitation is 101 percent of average.[Read More…]
Drought continues, hopes for wet winter from El Niño event
RBC | According to the U.S. Drought Monitor all of Rio Blanco County is still currently classified as D3, or Extreme Drought, as precipitation around the county continues to fall well under normal rates. However, there is some hope to be found in the winter forecast.
Fishing restrictions lifted
RBC | Colorado Parks and Wildlife lifted the voluntary fishing closures on the White River that had been in place since mid-July after reduced water flows and high temperatures created stressful conditions for the river’s fish. Effective Aug. 30, voluntary restrictions, which asked anglers to limit fishing times and avoid certain[Read More…]
Lake Avery water release underway
RBC | Fish struggling with high temperatures and low water flow in the White River are getting a bit of reprieve. Last Friday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife began releasing cooler water from Lake Avery in an ongoing effort to keep coldwater fish in the river alive as tough, drought conditions[Read More…]
Possible Lake Avery water releases for fish and river habitat habit
MEEKER | As they did in 2012, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is considering releasing some of its water right holdings in Lake Avery to provide some “fish saving” relief to the White River. At a meeting in Meeker July 9, CPW discussed the release possibilities with healthy river/healthy fish advocates[Read More…]
Kenney Reservoir’s water release sends 105 acre feet down river
RANGELY | Last Thursday the Rio Blanco Water Conservation District released approximately 105 acre feet, or about one inch of stored water, from Kenney Reservoir. According to District Manager Alden Vanden Brink the purpose of the release was to scour the ever-increasing algae from the river channel, with a goal to,[Read More…]
