November Rains, December Snow Ease Short Term Drought Concerns, Local Commissioner Honored

November rain followed by snow this month improved precipitation totals for southwest Colorado, bringing some relief to residents and water managers in Dolores County and nearby communities. Cortez recorded 1.32 inches of rain in November, a total equal to 155 percent of the 30 year average for that month. That boost raised the year to date precipitation total for the area to 94 percent of normal, up from 89 percent at the end of October.

As of December 3, the snow water equivalent measured by SNOTEL in the San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan basin stood at 76 percent of normal. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association now classifies Cortez as abnormally dry, and officials do not project the area to move into the more severe category of drought over the next month. For Dolores County residents, those figures mean slightly improved prospects for late winter runoff, pasture recovery and municipal supply stability, while the basin remains short of a full recovery and will require continued monitoring through spring melt.

Local ranchers, irrigators and municipal water planners should view the numbers as cautiously optimistic rather than decisive. The year to date recovery reduces immediate emergency concerns, but below normal snow water equivalent underscores vulnerability to dry spells later in the winter. Community leaders and water districts will need to maintain contingency planning and continue coordinating with state and regional partners to manage reservoir storage, stream flows and grazing allotments.

In county government news, Montezuma County Commissioner Jim Candelaria was named recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the nonprofit group Colorado Counties, Inc. The annual award recognizes a commissioner for “leadership, integrity, and long-standing commitment to public service,” and noted Candelaria for “his long tenure in county government and his outstanding record of public service.” At the commission meeting where the award was announced on December 9, Candelaria said he was humbled by the honor and thanked commissioners Kent Lindsay and Gerald Koppenhafer for their support for his serving on state boards.

Together the weather update and the recognition of local leadership highlight how environmental conditions and public service intersect across Dolores County and the broader Four Corners region as communities prepare for the months ahead.