What the 2026 drought means for ranchers in Northwest Colorado

What the 2026 drought means for ranchers in Northwest Colorado

Northwest Colorado is no stranger to dry years, but 2026 is shaping up to be one for the books. With a record-low snowpack, rising temperatures and extremely limited runoff, the State of Colorado, as of June 4, has declared a statewide drought emergency, leaving ranchers across the Yampa-White-Green River basin facing difficult decisions that affect both their livelihoods and their way of life. For local producers, drought is not just a headline…