Water Info Program Partner Spotlight

Dolores Water Conservancy District

Here’s a mid-summer update from Ken Curtis, Dolores Water Conservancy District general manager:

“Final runoff yielded a 30% supply— much improved from last year, but still pretty anemic. It looked pretty bad with another dry spring, wind, dust and early runoff. Improved soil moisture and increased higher elevation snow seemed to provide the limited, but improved supply. The two ASO flights were helpful and

after some more review over the winter we’ll identify some of the other WY 2022 drivers on the Dolores.

The irrigation season will run through August, though at less than full acreages. The farmers will stretch supplies and hang on for another year looking for recovery down the road.

The lower Dolores will likewise benefit with smaller, but with actual wet flows at 27 CFS into mid-September before going to 10 CFS over the winter. Hopefully both fish and farmers relying on McPhee storage will hang on into 2023.

The early monsoon has been welcome, but rather spread out and sporadic. The mountains have received enough to limit the fire danger, but not substantially increase flows. It’s a great time to go camping around the campfire. Here’s looking for the monsoon to continue.”

The Dolores Water Conservancy District is one of 28 local partners that support the Water Information Program which provides balanced water educational programs and content to southwest Colorado.