CUSTER COUNTY – The latest drought monitor released Thursday shows more than 85 percent of the State of Colorado is under unusually dry conditions.
The worst affected areas are the 20 counties in the southwest corner of the state where all or parts of each county is experiencing exceptional drought.
An example of the impact can be seen in Custer County at the Deweese Reservoir.
Large areas of dry cracked mud from what used to be lake bed now encircle the remaining water stored here.
Fisherman Kenny Long came up to Westcliffe from Pueblo to escape the heat for a few days.
He’s fished here for the better part of 40 years and said he’s never seen the base of the dam before.
It’s managed by the Deweese Dye Ditch Company in Canon City.
The business began over a century ago to provide fresh water from Grape Creek to agricultural customers in Fremont County.
A dry weather pattern over the Rockies this spring melted the mountain snowpack earlier than usual.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife now keeps the lake stocked with fish.