Water calls coming in county

Governor Polis enacts stage 3 drought emergency

By Katherine Nettles

As summer agricultural and recreation activities pick up and drought conditions persist across the Gunnison River Basin, there have been several senior water right calls on local rivers to ensure some production among ranchers. The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) is tracking various water calls and says that while they do affect junior and downstream supplies, those impacts are being kept to a minimum and municipal use is not in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the state of Colorado is now in a stage 3 drought emergency (see page 1).

UGRWCD manager Sonja Chevez says there are senior, pre-compact water rights (rights prior to 1922) already on call throughout the basin. “While senior water right holders are making calls, we are seeing cooperation and water sharing by not placing a ‘full’ call, not calling for the entire amount they are entitled to and efforts by those seniors, at their discretion, to intermittently lift the call to allow others an opportunity to get some water,” she explained in response to an inquiry from the Crested Butte News last week.

“Whether a ranch or a subdivision, you may get only a little water or no water at all from your ditch depending upon the seniority of your water right.”

Chavez said the Colorado Division of Water Resources will continue to ensure water supplies being used for municipal purposes (e.g., drinking, bathing, etc.) to protect public health and safety.  

“Division of Water Resources is not going to shut off domestic wells even though they are junior rights because it’s a matter of public health and safety,” she said.

The first documented “call” this year was on April 20 and was located on Razor Creek in the Tomichi Creek Basin, according to Chavez. The oldest water right on call right now is from 1887. Most of the others are from the 1930s and 1940s, said Chavez. Owners of older senior water rights are oftentimes ranchers, not just from this basin but also those downstream in places like Montrose County.

“The length of the call is dependent upon how long the senior wants to call. Calls will likely be happening through the summer until haying starts (typically in late August or early September), but this year it could be earlier just because of limited water supply (e.g., late July or early August),” said Chavez, noting that timing for growers seems to be shifting to about 30-45 days ahead of normal. “Everything is dependent upon summer hydrology like the timing of monsoon season,” she said.

In an update to Gunnison County commissioners this week, Chavez said that there are also concerns about hay prices going up due to the difficult growing season.

Colorado governor Jared Polis declared a statewide Stage 3 Drought Emergency on June 4, “in the face of one of the most severe droughts in Colorado’s recorded history.” The emergency is based on every county in the state experiencing drought conditions and streamflow forecasts projecting extremely low runoff statewide.

Polis relayed the intention that the state’s drought planning mechanisms can prepare communities, agriculture industries, water users and environmental agencies for worsening conditions. Chavez said this declaration frees up some funding to help support drought responses and mitigation.