03-05-2025
Western Slope prepares for a dry summer
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – You may have noticed the low snow on the Mesa this year and that comes high danger for fire season. What does that mean for our rivers in the Grand Valley?
Janie VanWinkle, ERC fellow for the AGRO West initiative at the Business Incubator, states, 'It's very worrisome. We're focused on the best care of the land and the livestock in our community.'
The Western Slope, along with the state of Colorado, is facing a low snow season, but that can come at a cost, especially with June around the corner.
But some ranchers like the VanWinkle Ranch have a plan to work with the Natural Resource Conservation Service, which is part of the USDA and funding that comes through the Farm Bill.
'Currently off the Grand Mesa, my understanding is that we are at 65% of normal, and that's very concerning,' Vanwinkle said.
And taking a look at the irrigation around the valley, WesternSlopeNow spoke with Tina Bergonzini, who is the general manager for Grand Valley Water Users Association about how this year's water supply from the Colorado River may be affecting the Grand Valley.
Bergonzini states, 'As far as our agricultural providers. They're used to this. They know that in really hot years like this, we'll have to go in restriction that the demand will be higher than the supply.'
Bergonzini says this is not a familiar foe to encounter.
'I don't ever like to look at any here, like starting off with a catastrophic type outlook, because the thing that I think is really important for everyone to remember is that Colorado has always lived within the means of the river, like what it provides, we know is going to be different every year. And yes, we're getting hotter, and yes, our winter was not great, but this is not new for us,' Bergonzini explains.
But Bergonzini says the Grand Valley Watering Users Association has prepared for a dry season like this, where they have check stations to examine water and back it up depending on the demand.
'That was done not only to help be able to continue to provide reliable irrigation to our irrigators, but it also helps us keep more water in the river so that the native fish have what they need as well,' Bergonzini said.
Mike Jones, management specialist for the UCR, tells WesternSlopeNow even though it may be a dry season, there will be enough resources to combat the fires ranging from the ground to the air.
'So we'll have some helicopters and airplanes at the end of May, beginning of June. so that'll help with our forces, making sure that we're ready for whatever, and just doing training now, making sure that we're ready for what the season brings us,' Jones explains.
Jones also says there are some safety tips to be aware of when it comes to those fire dangers.
'We ask that the public, as they're out recreating on public land, that they they just do a little bit of pre-planning, because we know it's dry out there, and we want to make sure that they've, they've done their maintenance on their vehicles, rather that's on their their trucks and their trailers and their OHVs, making sure that they got their chains properly fastened and their tires are properly inflated, that their engines have been maintained, you know, not driving in dry grasses,' Jones said.
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