Drought is forcing farmers in Colorado to make tough choices
Farms in southwest Colorado are coping with a drought worsened by climate change. It means a big reduction in irrigated water for crops. Conditions this year, one farm manager says, are "the worst."
Not long ago, the red sandstone walls of the Dolores River Canyon in southwestern Colorado towered over roaring rapids that teemed with native fish.
Now, it's largely empty.
Drought compounded by climate change has left the once robust river a ribbon of cobblestones, a trickle of water and small, shallow pools.
"It's really an unfortunate and tragic, incredible canyon with sort of a meek river that was once really a giant, wonderful symbol of the Wild West," said Jim White, an aquatic biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Low water levels in the river leave fish like bluehead sucker and roundtail chub with nowhere to go, White says.
"Fish have been around and on the river for over a million years, up
