April 2026 | From the General Manager

Conditions across the Lower Arkansas Valley remain extremely dry and water supplies are significantly limited this year. A record low snowpack, currently sitting at 10% of normal, combined with a very warm winter, has pushed conditions beyond what we experienced in 2002 and 2012, two of the driest years on record. Agricultural producers across the Arkansas River Basin and the state are bracing for a difficult year, while holding out hope that the El Niño weather pattern will bring much-needed moisture in the months ahead.

In a recent interview, I was asked when it is “too late” for precipitation to arrive. I thought back to a saying from an old-timer in my hometown of McClave who often remarked, “One thing about this county: it always rains when you need it, because no matter when it rains you need it!”

While we continue to hope for precipitation, this year’s conditions also highlight a broader challenge in the Lower Arkansas Valley. Water availability pressures are not limited to a single season, and they continue to shape the long-term future of agriculture in our region. That is why our work on revegetation legislation remains a top priority.

On March 25, 2026, House Bill 26-1340 was introduced in the Colorado General Assembly and is scheduled for its first hearing in the House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee on Monday, April 20. For nearly two years, we have worked with more than fifty stakeholders statewide, refining the bill through multiple iterations. Each round of revisions has strengthened its practicality.

This has been a significant effort, but it is worth it. Thoughtful legislation and strong advocacy remain among our best tools to address the impacts of “buy and dry” and help protect the long-term future of the Lower Arkansas Valley.

These conversations are not limited to the Capitol. They are happening here at home as well, where water decisions are experienced every day by producers, communities, and municipalities along the Front Range.

I invite you to join the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District at an upcoming event hosted by The Colorado Sun at the Grand Theater in Rocky Ford on May 7. I will be part of a panel discussion alongside Dr. Mike Bartolo, Otero County Commissioner Rob Oquist, representatives from Colorado Springs Utilities and Aurora Water, with Michael Booth moderating. Expect a thoughtful, engaging discussion about water, agriculture, growth, and what it means to share a finite resource in a changing Colorado.

We hope you will join us.

Jack Goble

General Manager, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District