Challenges facing the Rio Grande Basin

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Created on Sunday, 11 November 2012 16:15

Written by Craig Cotten

Water users in the Rio Grande Basin in Colorado are facing many challenges, both natural and man-made. The basin is also facing challenges not only in our area, but from farther away as well.

The Rio Grande is in the fourth year of below average streamflows. Other parts of Colorado are also in a severe drought this year, with some areas having a more severe single year drought than the San Luis Valley. However, much of Colorado had very good precipitation and streamflow last year which filled their reservoirs and aquifers. In fact, some areas in the northern part of the state had one of their best years ever last year in terms of precipitation and streamflow, while this basin languished in the midst of a multi-year drought. Since the extreme drought year of 2002, there have only been three years of above normal flow on the Rio Grande and only two years on the Conejos River. Some smaller streams around the valley have fared even worse, with only one year of above normal flows in the last ten. 

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