Support Agriculture

In the figure below, highlight or click the individual boxes to see the specific Ag stakeholder responses provided for the question "What is your biggest concern about water in the Yampa Basin?" Note that a single response may be included in multiple categories (ie: one respondent is concerned about both a new trans-mountain diversion and tougher administration).

Ag users in the Upper Yampa segment report stronger water administration practices as a top concern (Fig 7). In addition, when asked to identify negative changes in the basin, ag stakeholders often mentioned DWR administration practices (Fig 14, repeated below from the Env/Rec section). You can isolate this concern from among the others by selecting "DWR administration practices" below.

• Ag, in all reaches, is concerned about future or increasing shortages and losing access to water as other uses increase and drought conditions persist.

• Slightly more than half of Ag respondents do not currently experience shortages or experience minimal impacts from shortages, except in the Upper Yampa segment.

• When water shortages are experienced, the most common impact is a decrease in hay yields. Very few buy/lease additional water during dry years.

• To alleviate shortages for the ~50% that experience them, >1/3 of Ag stakeholders said more/better storage is needed. Lower basin users specified a new dam at Cross Mtn Canyon and changes in Elkhead management. Upper basin users specified repair of Stillwater.

There is a widely held desire for bank stabilization and erosion control in all areas upstream of Craig and on Elkhead Creek. By selecting "stabilize banks" in Figure 10, you can view the ag stakeholders who mentioned this specific issue.

Restored/upgraded infrastructure is also a commonly mentioned need by agricultural stakeholders. By selecting "restore/upgrade infrastructure" in Figure 10, you can view the ag stakeholders who mentioned this specific issue.

Figure 11 shows how different segments appear to need different things. Elk (headgates, measurements, and ditch improvements), Upper (everything), Middle (ditch improvements), Lower (irrigation equipment, control structures, ditch improvements).

Other areas of concern that were not as widely held include: waste of water/overuse; river health issues such as erosion, invasive species and low flows; conflicts with recreators; lack of storage; lack of education about ag practices and the benefits of ag water use; bureaucracy of water management and getting projects built, and Upper Yampa users commonly cite ice flows as a concern.

The following opportunities were identified by either stakeholders themselves, or by a member of the IWMP team that conducted stakeholder outreach. This is not an exhaustive list, and there is a space for your ideas on the Opportunities Summary page.

2. Tech assistance/ drought planning for Ag shortages

Develop ideas to minimize future ag shortages and associated impacts, such as: (1) regional ag drought plans/options, and/or (2) technical assistance for soil health and irrigation management to improve efficiency without negatively impacting yields.

3 Existing reservoir repairs and/or operations

Support reservoir owners’ efforts to repair (Stillwater) existing reservoirs and/or review operations (Elkhead) of existing reservoirs.

4 Explore irrigation efficiency and return flows

Explore irrigation efficiency impacts/benefits (ditch and water application) and the contribution of return flows to late season base flows in particular locations.

5 Regional infrastructure upgrades

Explore ag infrastructure upgrades at regional scale, for maximum strategic impact, either through an existing entity (e.g., water conservancy district or resource conservation district) or new entity (e.g., cooperative ditch company structure).

6 Funding and Project Development Assistance

Support ag users with grant information and application assistance, e.g., through Ag funding coordinator.

7 Cost-sharing for infrastructure upgrades

Address need for cost-sharing mechanisms to pay for infrastructure upgrades such as irrigation efficiency projects & diversion infrastructure.