You might say growers in northern Colorado were saved by one big rainstorm.
Just when it was thought dozens of growers would have to plant in dry soil and then hope for authorization to pump from their wells, the rains came.
The growers not only got good soil moisture for planting but a reprieve on the well-pumping moratorium. However, while two-thirds of the growers with drought-related problems in northeastern Colorado received permission to draw supplemental water from their wells in July and August, the other one-third will have to get by the best they can.
The tug-of-war is continuing along the Front Range as municipalities and developers go after every drop of water they can get. They seem to have little regard for growers in the rural areas and the need to make a living and produce food for the urban populations.