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.

March 27, 2025 - 

Summary: 

Snowpack in the Roaring Fork Watershed is currently 92% of normal for this time of year. It’s no surprise the warm, sunny, and windy first week of spring is melting snow. The lowest elevation SNOTEL sites, McClure Pass (9,500’) and Nast Lake (8,700’), had about 2” decreases in SWE in the last week!  Additionally, local stream flows increased significantly and are currently flowing 107-156% of normal. The Roaring Fork River in Aspen and the Crystal River in Redstone doubled in the last week!  Warm and sunny days may be a welcome change from winter but remember that snowpack is needed to provide water throughout the summer for agricultural, municipal, and recreational needs. To ensure healthy stream flows later in the year, more precipitation and cooler days are needed. Learn more at the Colorado River District’s free State of the River meeting on April 3 in Carbondale. Register at www.coloradoriverdistrict.org.

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Roaring Fork Conservancy is pleased to present yet another edition of the Voters’ Guide to Water Issues in the Roaring Fork Valley and Beyond. 

RFC asked candidates in local, state, and federal races for their responses to two water related questions. This online edition presents a non-biased forum for candidates to express their qualifications and platforms on water issues affecting the Roaring Fork Watershed and the state of Colorado...

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