Affecting Colorado

The announcement last week by California Governor Jerry Brown that he is imposing mandatory water restrictions on the state has had repercussions across the west including here in Colorado as much of California's water comes from the Colorado River which in turn is the source for water for 4 additional states including here. Brown told the state that things are changing.

BROWN: People should realize we're in a new era. The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water everyday, that's going to be a thing of the past.

Even though the restrictions don't really affect the ag industry in California producers across the west are wondering if the drought continues, what will the affect be? The snowpack in Colorado that feeds the Colorado River is at 69% of usual. That's down 22%. Arapahoe Basin, Vail and Steamboat are all reporting considerably less snowpack from this time last year. In addition, reservoirs are below average in much of the state. The state has been working on a water plan and hope to have a first version by sometime late in the year. John Stulp is the Director of the Interbasin Compact Committee and says they have been very proactive on the issue.

STULP: In 2012 we were in pretty tough shape. We had a drought in '02 and 3 that really got the conversation started that we need to be doing more than what we had been. All the planning in the world doesn't make it rain more but we know living in an arid climate that we will have issues with drought.

Will Colorado be faced with the same decision as California? It's a good question and one to be acted on now instead of waiting for the river to dry up.

And that's Colorado Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.