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The long concrete boat ramp at Yamcolo Reservoir is normally mostly underwater in early summer, but this dry year, the ramp never opened. Shown July 3, the bottom of the ramp is already about 60 yards distant from the water level. Photo by Suzie Romig
Recreating on reservoirs or camping near a picturesque lake this summer in a time of extreme drought in Northwest Colorado may require more forethought than a glance at a map. Multiple agricultural use reservoirs in and near Routt County have already dropped to extremely low levels much earlier than in past years.
Local water officials say some key agricultural-use reservoirs, such as Stillwater Reservoir, which serves South Routt County ranchers, only filled to 34% of its acre-feet capacity this year. In other words, the reservoir started the summer as low as it normally is in the fall following the irrigation season, said Andi Schaffner, secretary for reservoir owner Bear River Reservoir Co. Schaffner, a Yampa resident, said 129-acr
While fireworks are a traditional part of Fourth of July celebrations, Colorado officials continue to remind people not to use flammable materials of any kind this year, as the entire state is under the most severe form of drought.
“They’re predicting extreme drought conditions throughout the year, and this has been a pattern for quite a while at this point,” Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue Chief Chuck Cerasoli said. “Large complex fires are one of our biggest concerns in the area.”
Even though Steamboat firefighters are not currently assisting with the Muddy Slide Fire in South Routt County, Cerasoli said the department is still strapped thin, as it has a small staff and is tasked with both the city’s fire and emergency medical needs.
Subcontractors for Luminate Broadband continue to install fiber optic lines hanging below electric lines on power poles in Routt County this week. (Photo by Suzie Romig)
Final funding pieces are falling into place this week to move the installation forward for broadband fiber optic connections to South Routt County by no later than February 2022.
Ciara Bartholomew, South Routt School District business and finance director, said the district received a second $2.9 million grant from the Colorado Department of Education through the Connecting Colorado Students Grant program last week. That doubles the broadband funding awarded to the district through the CDE.
The district received an initial $2.9 million grant through the CDE program in February in order to bring broadband service to homes of district students and staff in Oak Creek, Phippsburg and Yampa. In February, the school district and Luminate Broadband, a subsidiary of Yampa Valley Electric Association, announced a partnersh
As people from across the West flow into Routt County to fight the Muddy Slide Fire, public health officials are stressing that unvaccinated people should still be wearing masks, especially as the delta variant becomes…