In Colorado’s North Fork Valley, Bill McKee has been selling off his herd of cattle. A combination of drought and increased hay costs put the seasoned Western Slope rancher in a bind.
“All of my friends have had to buy hay, sell cows, or a combination of both. I’ve elected to sell cows,” McKee said. At age 73, he’s been in the ranching business for decades, but the inflated cattle market combined with a lack of irrigation water made this year extremely tough.
In a typical summer, McKee relies on pivot irrigation for his ranch. His source of water is Paonia Reservoir, which was hit hard and early by dwindling snowpack and heavy agricultural demand. Most other farmers and ranchers in the area also depend on the reservoir, which is now down to its “inactive” pool zone at less than 2% capacity, prompting the nearby Town of Paonia to implement stricter water restrictions…