Watering heavily in Mesa County, Colorado amid drought
5/14/2025 8:59:51 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Plants & Wildlife
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Garfield County, CO
Mesa County, CO
Palisade, CO
Grand County, UT
Start Date: 5/12/2025
-
The owner of a winery in Palisade said that they have been using flood irrigation to replenish soil moisture down to 25 feet. Twice as much water as usual was being used to compensate for the absence of soil moisture. The vintner was not concerned about the drought because he has senior water rights, but he anticipates that those with junior water rights may not have enough water.
The lower water table was also causing problems for an orchard in Palisade as debris backs up irrigation systems and needs to be cleaned away, requiring more labor and more money to be spent on filters.
KKCO-TV NBC 11 (Grand Junction, Colo.), May 12, 2025
Sources
