Dealing With Drought Workshops Synthesis Notes

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➢ Economic Impacts: Range operators, train, tourism declined, although had increased firefighters ➢ Dryland farmers in Dove Creek area and Dolores watersheds: need information on when /where to plant. Should you have to ask do you plant at all? If so, when do you irrigate? Do you irrigate early? ➢ Large -scale ecosystem impacts tied to drought ➢ Infestation of pine beetle ➢ Need increase public awareness to regarding fuel management and corresponding insect infestations around property, camping locations: need better information on how to mitigate drought stress ➢ Public education concerning widespread ecosystem impacts ➢ Groundwater recharge: very slow to begin, even slower in the drought compounded on the fact that there is limited if at all irrigation recharge: need assessment of groundwater supplies and recharge rates Koren Nydick's Group Impacts ➢ Agriculture and food production impacts: lower yields and the socioeconomic tensions tied to lower yields ➢ Drought caught everyone off guard: better preparedness as a result of the drought ➢ Well -run dry scenario: hauling water opened eyes concerning the benefit of obtaining water from the tap ➢ Increased incentive to built more storage and buy more water rights ➢ Fish hatcheries destroyed ➢ Aesthetic beauty of area impacted ➢ Tourism dollars lost: economy hinges on tourism ➢ Air choked with smoke = people do no come, had impact on all tourism sectors ➢ Hopefully diversification across the tourism sector to help deal with drought impacts Needs ➢ Better agriculture diversification efforts: less water intensive crops, better crop management techniques, approaches ➢ Farmers took advantage of the fact that water had always been there ➢ Increased conservation: conservation is King! ➢ Better diversification of economic community tied to tourism sector ➢ Increased education, better preparedness