Yampa River Basin Now ‘on Call’ for Senior Water Rights

Yampa River Basin now ‘on call’ for senior water rights

The main stem of the Yampa River went on call Friday afternoon — for the fourth time in history — as another indicator of the current dry conditions in Northwest Colorado. “The Yampa River is now on call, meaning senior water rights are not getting enough water to their headgates during this dry year,” according to an email from officials at the Colorado Department of Water Resources office in Steamboat Springs. “Water rights that are junior to …

The Colorado River used to be predictable as a water supply. What happens when it's not?

As Colorado River states race to finish a deal, water users face a resource altered by drought and climate change.