Relocating to CO soon - Need assistance

[CO Dreamin]

Thanks for the advise. We've been trying to do all the necessary research. We're well aware of harsh winters...we've been living in WI for 12 years. Yes, we'll be able to afford greenhouses, solar panels & windmills. We've been reading about & trying to get as informed as possible about the water problem in CO. The last thing we want to do is contribute to the problem. We're now considering doing this on a smaller scale than originally planned. And as much as we would love to settle in CO & be close to the grandkids, we're now thinking about a different area that doesn't have this water problem. What about WY? We're trying to be environmently conscience & willing to give up part of our dream if it'll help. Thanks again for the advise.

[laurbell]

you will never find anything cheap in Boulder County, you have to look in Weld or Larimer counties. Firestone is an up and growing town just east of Longmont, Northwest of boulder. I live in Longmont and work in Firestone and it is a great community of new families and retired folks.(Firestone) But if you want shade Firestone isnt the place its new so there are now trees. And There is no water and we had a crazy winter in 06

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by laurbell

you will never find anything cheap in Boulder County, you have to look in Weld or Larimer counties. Firestone is an up and growing town just east of Longmont, Northwest of boulder. I live in Longmont and work in Firestone and it is a great community of new families and retired folks.(Firestone) But if you want shade Firestone isnt the place its new so there are now trees. And There is no water and we had a crazy winter in 06

Firestone is actually NE of Boulder. You might find something affordable in Boulder County, but not 40 acres. Don't know about Weld or Larimer counties.

[Nadine]

I do not think WY is not a great deal different on water than CO. But Jazzlover can fill you in on that. NM, AZ, NV, ID, OR are not different either in part. A friend of mine is on the east side of the Cascades, they irriagate. Our water problem is shared, it is not just CO.

As to what can be grown, it depends on altitude. Just about anything you want can be grown here. 5400 ft. This yr, we have, grass and alfalfa hay, peaches, apricots, apples, beans, corn, squash, bell peppers, chili peppers, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, grapes. But those are just the things we like. Don't count the darn weed but they grow real well. But we are on the Arkansas River, have water rights that are old and have no water problems other than when we have a drought but even this last drought we had water to keep a garden and grow hay, We got water enough for that twice a week. City water was restricted for outside watering. The water problems come in when areas as Denver, Colorado Springs among others have grown and are continuing to outgrow their available water and are drying up farm land and piping the water to their areas. Colorado is a semi arrid state and does not get the rain fall in most places to raise anything without irrigation. There are some dry land farms east that do quit well without irrigation, again except during the drought. But anyway you look at it, land with water whether from the heavens or from a river, creek, or spring etc will be more expensive than land without, that is IF the land has water rights. And just because one has water rights does not mean they can use all the water and not share with others. Wells are used in some areas but those are mostly old registered grandfathered in wells that can be used for irrigation. Most newer wells are for domestic use only. There are some that have cisterns and have water hauled. In some cases the wells are OK for irragation but domistic water they either have to treat or haul.

I hope this explains the "water problem in Colorado" This is the Colorado forum but I would not be surprised that some of the same is in some of the other state's forums. Don't read them some I really don't know.

[jazzlover]

The quick answer is that Wyoming has many of the same water problems as Colorado. It does not have megaloptic cities drying up farms like Colorado (though the latest scheme hatched is to divert water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Wyoming and divert it 400+ MILES to the Front Range!). Wyoming does have a problem on the North Platte River where it is obligated to deliver a substantial flow to Nebraska. Wyoming has been in a very serious multi-year drought, and meeting that obligation to Nebraska has meant that some Wyoming irrigators have had greatly reduced supplies of water. Some areas of Wyoming (particularly the Powder River Basin) have some water quality concerns as a result of the coalbed methane drilling which is become very widespread.

Truth is, there is no Rocky Mountain state that does not face some significant water issues. There are some in the environmental research community who fervently believe that the region has already expanded in population beyond what the water supplies will sustain, and that it is only a matter of time until nature "balances the scales." The people who believe that the population of this region can continue to expand indefinitely, particularly at the present rapid rates, are simply dreaming. The trend of growth WILL reverse--it is just a question of how soon and how rapidly. Of course, the "chamber of commerce types" will never admit that . . .

Originally Posted by Nadine

I do not think WY is not a great deal different on water than CO. But Jazzlover can fill you in on that. NM, AZ, NV, ID, OR are not different either in part. A friend of mine is on the east side of the Cascades, they irriagate. Our water problem is shared, it is not just CO.

As to what can be grown, it depends on altitude. Just about anything you want can be grown here. 5400 ft. This yr, we have, grass and alfalfa hay, peaches, apricots, apples, beans, corn, squash, bell peppers, chili peppers, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, grapes. But those are just the things we like. Don't count the darn weed but they grow real well. But we are on the Arkansas River, have water rights that are old and have no water problems other than when we have a drought but even this last drought we had water to keep a garden and grow hay, We got water enough for that twice a week. City water was restricted for outside watering. The water problems come in when areas as Denver, Colorado Springs among others have grown and are continuing to outgrow their available water and are drying up farm land and piping the water to their areas. Colorado is a semi arrid state and does not get the rain fall in most places to raise anything without irrigation. There are some dry land farms east that do quit well without irrigation, again except during the drought. But anyway you look at it, land with water whether from the heavens or from a river, creek, or spring etc will be more expensive than land without, that is IF the land has water rights. And just because one has water rights does not mean they can use all the water and not share with others. Wells are used in some areas but those are mostly old registered grandfathered in wells that can be used for irrigation. Most newer wells are for domestic use only. There are some that have cisterns and have water hauled. In some cases the wells are OK for irragation but domistic water they either have to treat or haul.

I hope this explains the "water problem in Colorado" This is the Colorado forum but I would not be surprised that some of the same is in some of the other state's forums. Don't read them some I really don't know.

[breaksraver13]

Ok, I have some questions about this water issue, I have never lived in Colorado, but am considering the move. With all the pictures of waterfalls, lakes, streams, and snow capped mountains one would think that there is no problems finding water......I just don't understand this whole water situation?

I am looking at Evergreen, CO to move to, so am I going to have to worry about water?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by breaksraver13

Ok, I have some questions about this water issue, I have never lived in Colorado, but am considering the move. With all the pictures of waterfalls, lakes, streams, and snow capped mountains one would think that there is no problems finding water......I just don't understand this whole water situation?

I am looking at Evergreen, CO to move to, so am I going to have to worry about water?

To answer your last question first, probably not. But Colorado is not the Pacific Northwest. It is semi-arid country. Even the mtns are not as lush as in the PNW or the east. The water issues are very complex here. You could do a search, both here and on Google (I'd start here), and you will learn a lot. Some people feel we will run out of water, others have their hopes in desalination of the oceans. And there is every view in-between.

[jazzlover]

Virtually every drop of water rising in Colorado is "appropriated"--see Nadine's post and link nearby on this forum. Several river basins in Colorado are actually "overappropriated"--that is, more water is being claimed than actually exists in a normal year. There are also several underground water basins in Colorado (the Denver Basin, most notably) where the ground water is being "mined"--that is, it is being withdrawn and used at a rate far beyond the recharge rate of the acquifer. So, any pretty pictures to the contrary, all that water you see is going to get used somewhere. The proof is the Colorado River. Most years, none of its flow makes it to the Gulf of California. The question isn't IF Colorado will run short of water, it's a question of WHEN it runs short and WHO will bear the burden of the shortage.

[anwmomma]

So can anyone help me out with info on moving to Buena Vista. I have a 5yr old daughter and a husband who is looking at getting a job in the climax mines in leadville. I would love to hear everything good or bad just so I know what we may be getting into.

[breaksraver13]

Originally Posted by anwmomma

So can anyone help me out with info on moving to Buena Vista. I have a 5yr old daughter and a husband who is looking at getting a job in the climax mines in leadville. I would love to hear everything good or bad just so I know what we may be getting into.

The climax mines are on the opposite side of Leadville......that would be a far commute