From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
Boaters on the Arkansas River below Pueblo Dam are being advised to take extreme caution because of fluctuating flows. The warning applies to tubers, kayakers, canoeists, fishermen and those using trails. “Anyone in or near the river below the dam should be aware of rapidly changing high-flows,” said Monique Mullis, assistant park manager at Lake Pueblo. “Water releases from the reservoir can fluctuate rapidly this time of year. Water levels can change without notice, so recreationists should exercise caution below the dam.”
Tubing is allowed, but any boaters on the river are required to wear life jackets. Muddy spots near the shore can be dangerous, she added.
From email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb):
We’re matching infow to Twin Lakes with outflow. And, inflows have dropped slightly. As a result, today around 2: 30 we curtailed the release from Twin Lakes to Lake Creek and the Arkansas by about 100 cfs. That should put the flow in Lake Creek out of Twin Lakes Dam around 1285 cfs.
From the Cortez Journal (Jim Mimiaga):
Southwest Colorado started at a moderate (D1) drought category in March. It was upgraded to severe (D2) April 23, and then to extreme (D3) on June 4. Southeastern Colorado is sufferi ng from an exceptional (D4) drought, the most severe on the scale. Dry, windy conditions are creating massive dust storms around Lamar and La Junta, stripping farms of topsoil. Most of central New Mexico is categorized as exceptional (D4) as well.
“We’re already in full-blown disaster mode,” said Paul White, director of the local Farm Services Agency. “Right now the soil moisture levels are fast depleting and that affects all aspects of farming and ranching.”[…]
The 7-10 day outlook does not look promising, said Chris Cuoco, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. A persistent high pressure ridge and a jet stream positioned far to the north is preventing any moisture from entering the Four Corners area, he said.The El Nino/La Nina phenomenon in the southern Pacific Ocean is neutral right now, Cuoco said. If the waters off the coast of South America warm up (El Nino), the chance for precipitation in the Southwest increases.
Monsoon rains pushing in from the south in late summer and fall are also heavily relied on for farmers and ranchers. “The good news there is that there has not been a year without a monsoon in 30 years, it is just that some are wetter than others,” Cuoco said…
The Dolores Conservation District is offering an ag water management assessment course in late June, said board member Steve Miles. Sign up at the NRCS office, 628 W. 5th St. in Cortez. The class is $20 and includes a soil moisture probe. Information is available on a cost share program for replacement of side-roll nozzles. “It is about efficient use of water: application rates, distribution rates and if it is the right amount for the crop,” Miles said. “People are surprised when they push the moisture probe in and it goes down five feet. It shows they are wasting water.”
From the Fort Collins Coloradoan (Trevor Hughes):
Thanks to high temperatures and the late-season snows, the Poudre River is running about 1,800 cubic feet per second near the mouth of the canyon, normal for this time of year. The Poudre’s flows typically peak around this time of year, depending on the snowpack, mountain rains and air temperatures. In Fort Collins, some bike path underpasses have been temporarily closed due to high water, although that’s normal for this time of year. And safety officials have warned area residents to use extra care around the fast-flowing Poudre and irrigation ditches, because water levels are high and the water temperature remains low