Farmers and ranchers in the Roaring Fork Valley are coping with the effects of prolonged drought. Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) recognizes the value and complexities of local agriculture. To this end, RFC is partnering with several producers, Lotic Hydrological consulting, and Pitkin County Open Space to explore opportunities of enhancing the resilience of ranching operations in the Roaring Fork Valley in times of water shortage. The project team is interested in identifying means for mitigating against the impacts of drought on productivity in mid- to high-elevation grass pastures and hay fields—the dominant agricultural land use in the Roaring Fork Valley. The study will work to identify field-scale treatments that can be used to minimize (or eliminate) reductions in crop yields and forage quality that are expected in times of limited water supply.

May 8, 2025 - 

Summary: 

Snowpack in the Roaring Fork Watershed is 54% of normal for this time of year. The only local SNOTEL sites still measuring SWE are above 10,000 feet in elevation. All but 3 out of 165 SNOTEL sites in Colorado have below average snowpack and snowpack in the Upper Colorado River Basin (everything above Lake Powell) is 58% of normal for this time of year. Snowmelt recently slowed down due to multiple days of cool and cloudy weather. As a result, rivers and streams in the Roaring Fork Watershed are currently flowing 44-62% of normal for this time of year.

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