Yes, it did snow over the weekend, a welcome change of weather for anyone hoping the Western Slope gets precipitation this spring. Lifetime rancher and member of Mex & Sons cattle operation in Norwood Mont Snyder told the Forum he wasn’t certain of the latest data regarding snowpack.
Snyder used to serve on the Lone Cone Ditch Board, but he said he’d have to refer to Bobby Starks for the latest in Norwood. Yet as far as water goes, he said on March 6 it’s true that the area is “quite a bit below normal.” The stock ponds on U.S. Forest Service permits are very low, and Snyder said some of the springs have failed completely.
He agreed it’s depressing — for anyone who farms and ranches. In fact, last year his family had to buy almost all of their hay. He said for next year, it’s looking pretty much the same way.
“It depends on March,” he said, “and what it has in store for us.”
Will people downsize their herds? He said he believes so. For his family’s operation, they will sell some cattle, and depending on this spring, that number could be as high as 50%.
Later on March 6, Bobby Starks, ditch rider for the Lone Cone, told the Forum he monitors the Snowtel site, and it hadn’t updated Friday afternoon when he checked it. That morning though, it was showing four new inches in Norwood, and he hoped that brought the total up.
Before, it was sitting at 10 inches, and Starks told the Forum it does take 14 inches of precipitation to fill the Gurley Reservoir.
“But it all depends on if it’s hot and windy,” he said.
He added things appear to be looking as good as they did last year, and maybe better.
“We will see. Hopefully we keep getting some more storms,” he said.
Starks acknowledged that snowpack has been lacking since 2018, what was a good water year, but the last several winter seasons have been tough.
“But we are still going,” he said. “So, you know, that’s really all you can be … be hopeful. It could come in and rain all summer. You just never know. You’ve got to be hopeful.”
He said it’s too bad Western Colorado can’t turn it on for winter and shut it off when it’s time to cut hay, but this is out of human control.
Back in Nucla, Dean Nasland, who is the ditch rider for the Colorado Cooperative Company (CCC) for the last 30 years, admitted he’s concerned.
“I guess the first thing I got to say is ‘It will be what it will be,’ but we got to stay optimistic,” he said. “But realistically, we are sitting at about 50% snowpack. There’s hardly any snow on 25 (Mesa Rd.)”
Nasland said it’s important to take into consideration the conditions in the low and high country. He’s said there’s not going to be any snow in the low country; it’s either gone or in the process of disappearing. He added the river was more than 100 CFS earlier last week.
“It’s looking like it’s getting pretty warm pretty early,” he said. “I think we will probably be on call, the San Miguel River, I’d say by the first of June.”
For anyone who doesn’t know, “on call” means that the CCC calls Colorado Division of Water Resources, Division 4. Then, by law some people upcountry will lose access to water rights, depending on their decrees.
“It’s kind of a bad deal,” Nasland said. “A few up there on Last Dollar and some of that country, they have to shut their water off … but the San Miguel is not too bad. It’s not a huge thing for the San Miguel, but something that (the water commissioner) has to go out and do.”
