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• Chilly weather keeps water use low Play Video

  April 16, 2013 6:50 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - Snowy rooftops in April, if even just a trace, are a good sign when it comes to the drought. There may not be enough moisture to actually help irrigate the lawn, but the freezing cold temperatures have kept most of us from turning on the sprinklers. ... more »

• Farmers glad to see snow

  January 29, 2013 5:15 PM

  The snow was a warm welcome to farmers, but is it enough? We met with one Pueblo County farmer who says it's a welcome sight. It wasn't snowing when Shane Milberger first got up this morning, but then it hit us. "When we saw it coming down,... more »

• Pueblo County farmers worry about the drought

  January 23, 2013 6:55 PM

  With record warm temperatures in the area, it may feel nice outside, but no moisture just fuels the drought we're experiencing. That has some local farmers concerned. "It's our number one issue right now," said Shane Milberger, of Milberger Farms. The drought in Pueblo County, like most of... more »

• Drought speeds pine beetle epidemic

  November 5, 2012 1:09 PM

  BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - University of Colorado researchers say the 2001-02 drought and others greatly accelerated the spread of a beetle epidemic that has killed thousands of square miles of trees in the West. CU said Monday the study compared patterns of outbreaks in lodge pole and ponderosa pines. CU... more »

• Dairy farm safety net dies with farm bill

  October 21, 2012 11:46 AM

  DANVILLE, VT (AP) - Small dairy farmers in the Northeast and Wisconsin say a tough year has been made worse by Congress' failure to pass a new farm bill before the old one expired. Many dairy farms were already struggling with low milk prices and high fuel and feed costs... more »

• Drought causes issues for pumpkin farmers in several states, but some local crops are still good

  October 9, 2012 5:17 PM

  When you think of October, you probably think about Halloween, good food, and of course, pumpkins! The problem this year is the drought. Several states have complained their pumpkin patches aren't very good because of a lack of water. Joseph Pantaleo owns a farm in Pueblo County. He says... more »

• Today's rain does not put an end to the drought

  September 12, 2012 5:33 PM

  With a soppy, wet day, the first in a long time in Pueblo, many may wonder if a day like this can end our drought. Unfortunately no, today's rain is not enough, but those with the Board of Water Works aren't worried. They say their storage may be low,... more »

• Leaves change color early, but it doesn't mean fall is here

  September 11, 2012 5:10 PM

  With the heat outside, we definitely aren't having an early fall, so why are the trees already turning yellow? It's actually brought on by the drought, which can cause stress and damage to trees. Those at the National Forest Service say the colors are much earlier this year. They add... more »

• Worst-ever West Nile virus outbreak takes Colorado

  August 31, 2012 12:27 AM

  It's the worst outbreak of West Nile virus in U.S. history, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The infection starts with a fever, then headaches, stiffness and flu-like symptoms, usually 3 to 15 days after being bitten. Just this year, 1,100 people were infected in 38 states.... more »

• Fall foliage may be early and quick this year

  August 26, 2012 1:34 PM

  Foresters are keeping an eye on how dry conditions in the mountains this summer will affect fall foliage. Chris Forman, Aspen's city forester, says the yellow leaves popping up in the area could indicate stressed trees and could mean an early and shorter color season. But Jim Kravitz with the... more »

• Ranchers lose hope drought aid will come in time

  August 19, 2012 4:07 PM

  OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Ranchers stricken by drought are expressing frustration at Congress' failure to pass disaster aid legislation before taking a five-week break. And some say by the time members return and pass a bill, it will be too late. Ranchers have been hoping for an aid package that... more »

• Drought also hits Hawaii

  August 15, 2012 6:10 PM

  Persistent drought conditions in parts of Hawaii are taking a toll on ranchers who can't grow enough grass to feed cattle. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a little more than half of Hawaii is in a drought now, compared with about 21 percent a year ago. The National Weather... more »

• Drought kills fish in the Midwest

  August 5, 2012 7:43 PM

  Thousands of fish are dying in the Midwest as the sizzling summer dries up rivers and raises water temperatures in some spots to nearly 100 degrees. About 40,000 shovelnose sturgeon were killed in Iowa last week as water temperatures reached 97 degrees. Nebraska fishery officials say they've seen thousands of... more »

• Farm bill debate leaves Colorado's fate undecided Play Video

  August 1, 2012 9:00 PM

  Colorado is thirsty: the worst drought in decades is drying out much of the United States, with Colorado's plains taking the hardest hit. With the 2012 Farm Bill still up in the air at the nation's capitol, local ranchers and farmers are questioning if they can afford to go... more »

• Drought remains, farm bill still questionable Play Video

  August 1, 2012 8:46 PM

  The ground is drier than ranchers have seen in years, and it's causing problems for farmers and ranchers across the country. "There's just no moisture; there's no moisture and no grass has grown at all," says Dixie Boyer, an eastern El Paso County rancher. "I think this at least... more »

• Dry lawn? Reach for the paint

  July 27, 2012 6:55 AM

  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Homeowners and businesses tired of brown lawns parched by drought are reaching for paint cans. Turf painting has long been a common practice in arid climates such as the West and Southwest, but it's historically been reserved for golf courses and sports fields in well-watered areas such... more »

• Ranchers sell off cattle due to drought Play Video

  July 24, 2012 8:08 PM

  A drought means little rain and, for farmers, little growth. For ranchers it means high grain prices. We found out that's trouble for cattle producers. Poor grazing means more cows will end up at auction, before their time. "The conditions are just so bad," said Kimmi Lewis,... more »

• Dealing with drought and trying to hold on Play Video

  July 24, 2012 6:59 PM

  Nearly 1,300 counties across the country are considered disaster areas because of drought, including all of Colorado. The Department of Agriculture's federal administrator for the Farm Service Agency, Juan Garcia, is in Colorado. The Farm Service Agency, among other roles, helps distribute disaster assistance to farmers and ranchers. Garcia... more »

• Drought forcing ranchers to sell cattle

  July 24, 2012 7:45 AM

  WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Cattle are streaming into auctions across the country as ranchers sell animals amid a spreading drought that has shriveled pastures and driven up the price of feed corn. Beef from those animals will start showing up in grocery stores in November and December, temporarily driving down... more »

• Drought impact on food prices

  July 17, 2012 8:20 PM

  With drought conditions stretching across most of the country, farmers and ranchers are being hit hard; some of that is likely to make its way to the grocery store prices. Donna McAfee finished a grocery shopping trip Tuesday, but she says she didn't get any produce on this trip;... more »

• Drought devastating the family ranch Play Video

  July 16, 2012 7:29 PM

  Cattle ranchers Harold and Jean Meinzer have been forced to deal with 10 years of the driest conditions they can imagine. "We're just trying to hang on like everybody else," Harold said. "We haven't had the ponds filled since ‘02." The Meinzer's ranch, Four Corners Ranch, sits on... more »

• Court OKs limited horse roundup in west Colorado

  July 7, 2012 11:39 AM

  GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) - A federal court has ruled that the Bureau of Land Management can round up 40 to 50 horses south of Rangely that have been affected by the drought. For weeks, the agency has been delivering water to two groups of horses on Texas Mountain in... more »

• Most counties in Colorado eligible for disaster relief

  July 4, 2012 7:28 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says 62 of Colorado's 64 counties qualify for federal disaster relief due to drought conditions. Gov. John Hickenlooper says Vilsack notified him Tuesday that he was designating all of the state's counties, except Delta and San Juan counties, as primary disaster areas. The... more »

• Drought meetings start for Summit County

  May 8, 2012 8:42 AM

  FRISCO, Colo. (AP) - Summit County officials are seeking options to deal with a severe drought. County officials are holding a meeting Tuesday after the National Integrated Drought Information System declared a severe drought in Summit County and the Colorado River Basin. The meeting is sponsored by the Colorado River... more »

• Beef producers: No health risk from Mad Cow

  April 26, 2012 2:00 PM

  DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The announcement that mad cow disease was found in a California cow drew a rapid response this week from the beleaguered American beef industry, which has been enduring one crisis after another for more than a year. First, a severe drought in the Southwest... more »

• Recent snow will not help drought

  April 4, 2012 6:18 PM

  Many areas have experienced quite a bit of snow recently, and it still isn't enough to get us out of this drought. Pueblo's water supply mainly comes from the Arkansas and Upper Colorado River basins. Both of those are about 50 percent below average for this time of year when... more »

• Pueblo Water Board takes cautious approach to summer supply

  March 30, 2012 6:26 PM

  The Pueblo Board of Water Works is carefully monitoring its water supply and making preparations for drought conditions this summer. The Water Board is concerned by the lack of rain last summer and the poor snow pack in the Colorado mountains. At this time Pueblo has more than three... more »

• Landscape symposium to teach water saving techniques

  March 19, 2012 2:44 PM

  Homeowners will get a chance to learn about landscaping that takes less water at a two day symposium at UCCS at the end of the month. The Peak to Prairie Landscape Symposium happens on March 30 and 31. Homeowners and industry professionals will learn the latest landscape design tips... more »

• Aid group sends supplies to Mali refugees

  February 29, 2012 1:28 PM

  BAMAKO, Mali (AP) - An international medical aid group says it is sending medical and logistical supplies to Mauritania to help the tens of thousands of people who have fled fighting in neighboring Mali. Doctors Without Borders said Wednesday that 28,000 people are camped in the Mauritanian towns of Fassala... more »

• Drought aid offered to farmers in 10 counties

  January 31, 2012 1:56 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Farmers in 10 counties in east-central Colorado can apply for emergency loans and other help under a drought disaster designation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that Lincoln County was designated the primary disaster area, and that qualifying farmers in nine adjacent counties could apply for... more »

• Drought could make for short supply of Christmas trees

  November 25, 2011 4:10 AM

  NEW CANEY, Texas (AP) - A devastating drought in the Southwest has killed thousands of Christmas trees in Texas and Oklahoma, leaving many farmers with little to offer holiday shoppers. Many trees died of thirst. Hundreds of others burned in wildfires. Most farmers say nearly all their youngest trees... more »

• Rains ease dry conditions in southeast Colorado

  September 23, 2011 5:04 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Recent rains have helped ease drought conditions in parts of Colorado, but pockets of the southeast corner of the state are still experiencing severe and extreme drought. The U.S. Drought Monitor considered the San Luis Valley to be in "exceptional drought" earlier this year, which is... more »

• Governor seeks drought declaration for 2 counties

  August 29, 2011 9:00 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Gov. John Hickenlooper has formally requested federal drought assistance for Elbert and Douglas counties. Hickenlooper sent a letter Monday to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack seeking a primary drought disaster declaration for the two counties. A declaration would allow farmers and ranchers to seek emergency loans... more »

• Recent rain only a drop in the bucket

  June 20, 2011 10:56 PM

  Southern Colorado is under severe to extreme drought conditions, making the recent rain feel like a small drop in the bucket. Since January 1, Colorado Springs has received 2.42 inches of precipitation. Normally, Colorado Springs receives 7.24 inches by this time. In Pueblo, the year-to-date total is 3.23 inches... more »

• Emergency grazing will be allowed in Southern Colorado

  June 17, 2011 8:54 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Ranchers in several southern Colorado counties where the drought has dried up pastures will be able to graze their animals on land set aside as part of a federal conservation program. The Colorado Farm Service Agency said Friday that emergency grazing will be allowed in Baca,... more »

• Colorado River users could face shortage in 2015

  June 9, 2011 5:44 PM

  BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Deep snow in parts of the West has given states in the Colorado River basin some relief from drought, but water managers say there's still work to keep water flowing from faucets in the future. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Mike Connor says that before... more »

• Colorado's southern plains drying out

  May 23, 2011 7:47 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Snowpack levels have reached 247 percent of average in Colorado's mountains, raising the threat of flooding around the state. But recent storms have largely bypassed the state's southeastern corner, leaving residents praying for rain. The National Weather Service said Monday there is a chance for thunderstorms in... more »

• Springs water supply looks good right now

  March 27, 2011 8:52 PM

  Even though the ground was a little wet and some areas saw a little bit of snow on Sunday, much of southern Colorado remains under severe drought conditions. So what does that mean for possible watering restrictions in the coming months? "It's too early to tell right now," says... more »

• Wyo. high snowpack levels bring flooding concerns

  March 27, 2011 4:31 PM

  CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming climatologists say they're grateful for above-average snowpack levels to help with drought conditions but they're wary about potential flooding. Several basins were listed as "high" risk for flooding by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The forecast is for when snow melts in the... more »

• Local grocery stores will weather Florida freeze, Texas drought

  January 4, 2011 11:50 PM

  In Florida for the third time this month, farmers are forced to cover their crops with a cocoon of ice, trying to save the citrus. Texas is suffering from drought right now. Some areas haven't seen rain in 90 days. "Mother nature dishes it out. We gotta do what... more »

• Drought threatens Arkansas Valley

  December 13, 2010 10:55 AM

  DENVER (AP) - While parts of Colorado's High Country have gotten plenty of snow, parts of southern Colorado are showing signs of drought. The U.S. Drought Monitor lists the entire Lower Arkansas Valley east of Pueblo as having severe drought conditions. The Rio Grande basin is categorized as abnormally... more »

• Farmers struggle as dry weather blankets East

  September 27, 2010 9:00 AM

  Many farmers are struggling in inland areas of the eastern U.S., where rainfall has been as much as a foot less than normal this year. Meteorologist Tom Kines says the driest areas have been in Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic, Ohio and parts of New Jersey up to Maine. Pennsylvania... more »

• Xeriscaping saves money

  May 28, 2010 5:41 PM

  We all know spring means planting. But Colorado Springs Utilities wants everyone to keep in mind how much water a plant can use. At the Utilities demonstration garden, dozens of plants are already in full bloom. There's lots of color and variety and all are xeriscape plants -- meaning... more »

• Colorado counties gets agriculture disaster loans

  February 2, 2010 10:45 AM

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted a request for disaster designation in several Colorado counties where crops have been affected by drought and an early frost. Gov. Bill Ritter says Fremont County experienced damaging frost and freezing temperatures on Oct. 8-11. He says the Western Slope saw a wet... more »

• Fremont County receives federal disaster declaration

  February 1, 2010 6:49 PM

  Fremont is one of six Colorado counties to receive a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Fremont County experienced damaging frost and freezing temperatures on Oct. 8-11 of last year. The other counties are all on the Western Slope, which saw a wet spring turn into... more »

• Venezuela announces nationwide energy rationing

  January 12, 2010 1:55 PM

  Venezuela's government is starting rolling blackouts of four hours every other day throughout the country to combat an energy crisis. The top officials of the state electric utilities in the capital of Caracas and two other western states on Tuesday announced plans for four-hour outages every other day. Electricity Minister... more »

• Ritter seeks fed assistance for drought

  January 9, 2010 9:18 AM

  Gov. Bill Ritter has requested federal disaster assistance for several Colorado counties where crops have been affected by drought and an early frost. Ritter sent a letter Friday to U.S Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for the disaster designation to provide low-interest loans. Fremont County received damaging frost... more »

• Disaster relief sought for Fremont County

  January 8, 2010 7:00 PM

  Gov. Bill Ritter announced today he has requested federal disaster assistance for several Colorado counties where crops have been affected by drought and an early frost. Gov. Ritter sent a letter to U.S Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for Secretarial Disaster Designation. Fremont County received damaging... more »

• Heavy snow socking northern California

  December 30, 2009 10:41 AM

  A mix of rain and snow making its way through northern California. Heavy snowfall on Interstate 80 between Sacramento and Reno made plows and snow tires a necessity Wednesday morning. With as much as seven to nine inches of accumulation in some places, emergency crews were out to keep an... more »

• California drought forces more to drill, deplete water

  December 16, 2009 4:38 PM

  New data from satellites show the vast underground pools feeding faucets and irrigation hoses across California are running low, a worrisome trend federal scientists largely attribute to aggressive agricultural pumping. The measurements show the amount of water lost in the two main Central Valley river basins within the past... more »

• Logging in Kenya forest feeds deadly drought

  October 25, 2009 8:49 AM

  More than 200 of Ole Saloli's cows have died, ruining his children's inheritance and his safety net for old age. Now he wanders miles seeking pasture for the surviving animals, his bare feet as cracked and dry as the Kenyan earth he sleeps upon. Saloli, who estimates he is... more »

• California wildfire stalled by record low temperatures

  October 7, 2009 10:50 AM

  A low-pressure system that's brought record low temperatures to Southern California is helping firefighters battle a blaze near the mountain community of Wrightwood. The fire in the San Bernardino Mountains was 75 percent contained Wednesday morning and hadn't grown. Evacuation orders for thousands of people were lifted on Tuesday. The... more »

• California canal sparks skepticism, lawsuits

  October 5, 2009 10:52 AM

  Peter Hunn has a simple wish: He'd like his children to farm the land in California's delta that his great, great grandfather settled more than a century ago. The cucumber farmer cherishes the land so much that he refuses to allow state engineers onto his property to survey possible... more »

• Most of California designated drought disaster

  September 23, 2009 10:48 AM

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 50 of California's 58 counties as natural disaster areas because of crop losses due to ongoing drought. The declaration will clear the way for emergency loans to farmers who have suffered financial losses this year from the drought. Farmers will be... more »

• Storms help, but don't end Texas drought

  September 18, 2009 12:29 PM

  Recent storms in Texas brought some long-awaited relief to the nation's most drought-stricken state, but the brutal dry spell is far from over as it drags into its third year. About 16 percent of the state - all in the southern and central parts of Texas - is classified... more »

• Drought keeps California salmon from spawning

  September 11, 2009 1:21 PM

  California's third year of drought has worsened the already dire outlook for endangered coho salmon, as coastal creeks used for spawning dwindle into disconnected pools where fish get trapped and die. On a hot summer afternoon about 40 miles north of San Francisco, a group armed with fishing nets... more »