http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

v 2.4.3.0

Recent precipitation allowed Ute Water to stop drawing from the Colorado River, allowing the utility to drop the 2% drought pumping rate, which took effect July 1. This was the first time in 65 years that water from the Colorado River had been used to supplement demand due to drought. KKCO-TV NBC 11 (Grand Junction, Colo.), Nov 5, 2021 Ute Water Conservancy District on July 1 began charging a 2% drought pumping rate to cover the cost of drawing directly from the Colorado River. Ute Water pumped from the Colorado River from June 10 through July 7. The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colo.) Aug 11, 2021 The Ute Water Conservancy District tapped the Colorado River to avoid running its backup reservoirs dry as the region was in extreme to exceptional drought. The Ute district relies on water from the Grand Mesa reservoir and hasn’t needed to draw from the Colorado River in more than five decades. The UWCD serves Grand Junction and Mesa County and is the largest water provider between Denver and Salt Lake City. Water customers of the UWCD will be billed a 2% surcharge to cover the cost of electric power and increased water treatment costs. The district has junior water rights and expects to be cut off later this summer. The Colorado Sun (Denver), July 2, 2021