Farmers, Ranchers and Several Organizations Work to Ensure Water Quality in Colorado
Water is a critical resource, so farmers and ranchers are constantly exploring conservation techniques for their livestock and
crop operations to ensure water quality in Colorado.
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Water Community
In southern Colorado, Ronda Lobato is a member of the Costilla County Conservancy District (CCCD) Board and a sixth-generation farmer whose ancestors were some of the first settlers of Colorado.
In the mid-1800s, her ancestors were early adopters of acequias, a community-operated water channel system used to collect and distribute water for irrigation. They collect melted ice and snow and feed miles of ditches that intersect with creeks.
Lobato’s legacy of water conservation methods made her a natural fit for the CCCD, which was originally formed in 1976 to prioritize and administer water usage.
Costilla County completed a watershed assessment that identifies 40 priority projects ranging from wildfire mitigation to grazing solutions in addition to water quality in Colorado, healthy ecosystems and addressing sediment issues to protect the viability of agriculture in the region.
“The district was formed initially for flood control and throughout the years it has evolved to include parks and recreation as well as flood control statutes,” Lobato says. “Implementing constructive practices and efficient structures for water is vital. Working together as a community allows us to make an impact.”
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America the Beautiful
Colorado agriculture does its part to protect the country’s fruited plains and spacious skies.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture received a $4 million America the Beautiful grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in 2022.
CDA and partners will also contribute more than $1 million to the project, which is dedicated to supporting conservation initiatives in watersheds around the state, improving water quality in Colorado.
More than 35 partners around Colorado will complete projects to strengthen ecosystem and community resilience. Most projects will include some work to mitigate nonnative, invasive plant species with goals of reducing wildfire risk, restoring native biodiversity and habitat, and conserving water.
Without native predators, invasive species thrive unchecked. Invasive plant species can exacerbate water scarcity issues in Colorado, both directly through water consumption and indirectly through increased wildfire hazards since they outgrow more fire-resistant species and become fuel for fire as they dry out.
“Mitigating nonnative, invasive species is a vital piece of the puzzle when trying to accomplish these conservation goals,” says Patty York, CDA noxious weed program manager. “These efforts greatly benefit the overall ecosystem health in Colorado.”
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