Drought Cripples Colorado

By Douglas McIntyre  •  June 30, 2026
Juan Luis Alejos Pexels

A number of states are suffering from record drought, but none has suffered as much recently as Colorado. Drought at various levels covers the entire state, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The worst levels of drought, called “exceptional drought” and “extreme drought,” cover 37%. According to Drought Monitor experts, exceptional drought is “the most severe classification of drought, indicating critical, widespread water shortages, massive agricultural and pasture losses, and the frequent implementation of emergency water restrictions.”

Large wildfires have started along the Colorado border with Utah. This has strained the state’s firefighting resources. This has become a larger problem across the country. There have been over 35,000 wildfires in the US this year, the National Interagency Fire Center reports. These have burned 3.1 million acres so far this year. Last year, at the same time, the acres burned totaled 1.8 million.

It is not uncommon for persistent drought to lower the levels of rivers and lakes. Boyd Lake, one of the largest in the state, has seen a 20-foot drop in water level. A slowdown in recreation is the least of the problems this causes. Many of these lakes are sources of water. 

Agriculture is also severely battered by drought. It is forecast that the state will only produce 33.6 million barrels of grain this year. That is a 52% drop from the ten-year average. It is the worst figure since 1965. Nebraska has a problem that is close to dire. Its drought problem will cut into production sharply as well. 

One of the factors of the effects of drought on crops that is not immediately evident is the effect on beef cattle. Their feed comes primarily from grain. The nation’s beef cattle herd is at a 75-year low. 

The drop in grain and beef cattle has an almost immediate effect on inflation. There is a good deal of worry that the shortages will push up the “food” section of the Consumer Price Index. 

Most evidence indicates that inflation is outpacing wage growth in America. That means discretionary household spending is undermined. And this spending is the largest part of GDP

Who would have imagined that the drought in Colorado could have such a wide-ranging effect?

  1. Finding a fiduciary financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area in 5 minutes.
  2. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. Get on the path toward achieving your financial goals!
More from ClimateCrisis 247

Similar Posts