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A plan to pay farmers to use less of the Colorado River comes up dry

“Itap a comical mess,” Shaun Chapoose, chairman of northeast Utah’s Ute Indian Tribe, said. “They ain’t fixing nothing.”

Tuxedo Corn Company farmer David Harold carries irrigation pipe to install a drip irrigation system that supplies water to onions in a field in rural Montrose County Thursday, May 4, 2023. In 2022 the Harolds produced between 7 to 8 million pounds of red, white, and yellow onions for super markets across the country. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, which make up the Colorado River's upper basin, launched the System Conservation Pilot Program late last year, offering money to farmers and others willing to forgo their water use this year. So far the program has struggled, with few people applying. The granted applications amount to less than 2% of the smallest amount of water federal officials hope to save throughout the entire Colorado River Basin. Harold wanted to participate in the program, but his application was denied. (Photo by William Woody/Special to The Denver Post)
Tuxedo Corn Company farmer David Harold carries irrigation pipe to install a drip irrigation system that supplies water to onions in a field in rural Montrose County Thursday, May 4, 2023. In 2022 the Harolds produced between 7 to 8 million pounds of red, white, and yellow onions for super markets across the country. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, which make up the Colorado River’s upper basin, launched the System Conservation Pilot Program late last year, offering money to farmers and others willing to forgo their water use this year. So far the program has struggled, with few people applying. The granted applications amount to less than 2% of the smallest amount of water federal officials hope to save throughout the entire Colorado River Basin. Harold wanted to participate in the program, but his application was denied. (Photo by William Woody/Special to The Denver Post)
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By | The Denver Post
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One way to save massive amounts of water from the drying Colorado River — state and federal officials had hoped — was to effectively buy water this year from farmers and ranchers with a $125 million conservation program. But very few are selling. Or those willing to sell were turned away.
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