With no relief in sight, farmers and ranchers are having to find ways to deal with it.
“There are other ranchers in Arizona that will move their cattle completely out of Arizona to other states to be fed,” Smallhouse said.
Arizona is facing its 21st year of a long-term drought, according to the Arizona State Climate Office.
Several reservoirs, such as Lakes Mead and Powell, provide water supply to the state during dry years.
But with drought conditions continuing to get worse, water is getting harder to come by.
As a result, they’re having to decide if they’re going to plant in certain fields and what crops they can grow.
“That’s really what’s going to be a problem in this planting season for farmers.
“We have some relief now and again in the last few years.
We’ve had a couple of wet years, which is helpful,” she said.
“But in the long-term, I think ranchers and farmers are just trying to plan for the ups and downs.”