In Colorado, good snowpack has made 'more normal' water situation
In Colorado, good snowpack has made 'more normal' water situation
While reservoirs across Colorado were nearing capacity in late June and early July and easing a water shortage that in 2002 had thrown 85 percent of the state into dangerously dry conditions, not all farmers were ready to say their concerns over water have ended.
However, Mike Gillespie, snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Survey, said at a mid-May press briefing in Denver that year-to-date snow totals were closer to average than the past seven, and most water-storage facilities were at 89 percent capacity or better at that juncture.
The USDA Weekly Crop Bulletin reported on July 12 that scattered thunderstorms the prior week had brought moisture to the Eastern Plains, and it also said that 57 percent of Colorado's dry onion crop was "good," 2 percent "poor and 26 percent "fair. The bulletin also said that 15 percent of the crop at that time was "excellent.
Some parts of the state, including the greater Denver metro region, had seen significant increases in moisture during June, and according to the USDA's mid-July summation, the previous month had gone on record as the "wettest June since 1967 and [the] fourth-wettest June in the last 134 years.
The Mile High City received 3.99 inches of rain in June, 256 percent of normal.
Not quite as wet but certainly more so than in recent years, the Western Slope had also received good rain, and Delta, CO-area farmer Jerry Hines said in June that his sweet corn and onions were sizing up nicely.
"We have plenty of water after a real good winter and spring, Mr. Hines said. "We're back to our full allotment, and it looks like it will be good all season. It also looks like maybe we turned the corner on the drought.
Before the precipitation report was released, onion grower Bill Grasmick of Grasmick Inc. and the Onion House in Granada, CO, said that water was in good supply this year, and he added that the farm was "looking for a big season.
However, even as runoff from the winter's snowpack continued to flow downhill, growers who live in closer proximity to urban development and who depend on irrigation for their crops were reluctant to say water issues were in the past.
In truth, water continues to be one of the biggest concerns for many Colorado farmers, and Mother Nature's bounty is only one aspect of the problem. Dave Petrocco of Petrocco Farms in northern Colorado said that labor and pressure from offshore growers and regional competition have been the two primary concerns for his operation. Water has been third. But "water is creeping upwards and may overtake the others, Mr. Petrocco added.
He said that planting "depends on snowpack and rainfall, but the real truth is that available agriculture water is being removed from agriculture and transferred to urbanization.
Portions of northern Colorado's onetime rolling fields and vast open spaces have been replaced in recent years by thousands of homes, commercial centers and bustling commerce, and Mr. Petrocco said that farming operations that take water from the South Platte Basin this year have been given 50 percent of their quota "due to heavy senior water rights holders.
First on that water rights list is Boulder, followed by Centennial, CO, he said.
Robert Sakata of Sakata Farms in Brighton, CO, concurred, saying that the state engineer "mandated we can't pump more than 50 percent of what we pumped last year.
He also said that "an acre of housing takes an equal amount of water as an acre of crop, and he stated that there is "no new water in Colorado.
"The only way to get water for development is by drying up farms, and I think we'll see a completely different landscape in the next 10 years, Mr. Sakata said.
Alan Kinoshita of Fagerberg Farms in Eaton, CO, said that pressure from development "has become a real factor, and I think there will be a fight over water.
And Chuck Bird of Martin Produce in Greeley, CO, said that even this year, there is likely to be a decrease in storage onions as a result of water allotment reduction.
He added, "At some point, development will encroach on farmland, too.
Joe Pisciotta Jr. of Pisciotta Farms in Avondale, CO, near Pueblo, CO, in the south of the state said, "We get 100 percent of our allotment, but there's been a lot of development in the last 10 years.
Nearby, grower Tom Rusler said that for his crops -- onions, jalape?os and pinto beans -- water was "better than it's been in three years.
Fruit producers on the Western Slope have also been hit by dry conditions in past years. Charlie Talbott of Talbott Farms in Palisade, CO, said that a more full Colorado River has made for more full irrigation systems.
"Right now, the Grand Valley Irrigation System has some of the most senior water rights on the river, Mr. Talbott said in late June.
"But how many votes are there per development acre? I wonder if at some point water won't be our Achilles heel, he said.
Urbanization and its effect on water does have its upside, however. "It's been a windfall for many farmers who do not have heirs, Mr. Sakata said. "The value of their land with water will get them out [of the industry] and take care of their debt, he noted.
(A full report on Colorado produce appears in the Aug. 8 issue of The Produce News.)
However, Mike Gillespie, snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Survey, said at a mid-May press briefing in Denver that year-to-date snow totals were closer to average than the past seven, and most water-storage facilities were at 89 percent capacity or better at that juncture.
The USDA Weekly Crop Bulletin reported on July 12 that scattered thunderstorms the prior week had brought moisture to the Eastern Plains, and it also said that 57 percent of Colorado's dry onion crop was "good," 2 percent "poor and 26 percent "fair. The bulletin also said that 15 percent of the crop at that time was "excellent.
Some parts of the state, including the greater Denver metro region, had seen significant increases in moisture during June, and according to the USDA's mid-July summation, the previous month had gone on record as the "wettest June since 1967 and [the] fourth-wettest June in the last 134 years.
The Mile High City received 3.99 inches of rain in June, 256 percent of normal.
Not quite as wet but certainly more so than in recent years, the Western Slope had also received good rain, and Delta, CO-area farmer Jerry Hines said in June that his sweet corn and onions were sizing up nicely.
"We have plenty of water after a real good winter and spring, Mr. Hines said. "We're back to our full allotment, and it looks like it will be good all season. It also looks like maybe we turned the corner on the drought.
Before the precipitation report was released, onion grower Bill Grasmick of Grasmick Inc. and the Onion House in Granada, CO, said that water was in good supply this year, and he added that the farm was "looking for a big season.
However, even as runoff from the winter's snowpack continued to flow downhill, growers who live in closer proximity to urban development and who depend on irrigation for their crops were reluctant to say water issues were in the past.
In truth, water continues to be one of the biggest concerns for many Colorado farmers, and Mother Nature's bounty is only one aspect of the problem. Dave Petrocco of Petrocco Farms in northern Colorado said that labor and pressure from offshore growers and regional competition have been the two primary concerns for his operation. Water has been third. But "water is creeping upwards and may overtake the others, Mr. Petrocco added.
He said that planting "depends on snowpack and rainfall, but the real truth is that available agriculture water is being removed from agriculture and transferred to urbanization.
Portions of northern Colorado's onetime rolling fields and vast open spaces have been replaced in recent years by thousands of homes, commercial centers and bustling commerce, and Mr. Petrocco said that farming operations that take water from the South Platte Basin this year have been given 50 percent of their quota "due to heavy senior water rights holders.
First on that water rights list is Boulder, followed by Centennial, CO, he said.
Robert Sakata of Sakata Farms in Brighton, CO, concurred, saying that the state engineer "mandated we can't pump more than 50 percent of what we pumped last year.
He also said that "an acre of housing takes an equal amount of water as an acre of crop, and he stated that there is "no new water in Colorado.
"The only way to get water for development is by drying up farms, and I think we'll see a completely different landscape in the next 10 years, Mr. Sakata said.
Alan Kinoshita of Fagerberg Farms in Eaton, CO, said that pressure from development "has become a real factor, and I think there will be a fight over water.
And Chuck Bird of Martin Produce in Greeley, CO, said that even this year, there is likely to be a decrease in storage onions as a result of water allotment reduction.
He added, "At some point, development will encroach on farmland, too.
Joe Pisciotta Jr. of Pisciotta Farms in Avondale, CO, near Pueblo, CO, in the south of the state said, "We get 100 percent of our allotment, but there's been a lot of development in the last 10 years.
Nearby, grower Tom Rusler said that for his crops -- onions, jalape?os and pinto beans -- water was "better than it's been in three years.
Fruit producers on the Western Slope have also been hit by dry conditions in past years. Charlie Talbott of Talbott Farms in Palisade, CO, said that a more full Colorado River has made for more full irrigation systems.
"Right now, the Grand Valley Irrigation System has some of the most senior water rights on the river, Mr. Talbott said in late June.
"But how many votes are there per development acre? I wonder if at some point water won't be our Achilles heel, he said.
Urbanization and its effect on water does have its upside, however. "It's been a windfall for many farmers who do not have heirs, Mr. Sakata said. "The value of their land with water will get them out [of the industry] and take care of their debt, he noted.
(A full report on Colorado produce appears in the Aug. 8 issue of The Produce News.)
