ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Federal water managers think they have a plan
to keep the Rio Grande flowing this summer, but they conceded Thursday
it all depends on the weather. The Rio Grande is a major water source
for millions of people and thousands of square miles of farmland in
Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. Farmers along the river are
being encouraged to forego irrigating their lands this season. Climate
experts say March marked the third straight month of below-average
precipitation across the U.S., and areas of record dryness are expanding
in the West. Irrigation districts from the Pacific Northwest to the
Colorado River Basin are warning farmers to expect less this year.