Flooding Threatens Colorado Farming
Corn crop at risk
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Though the rains have ended, farmers fear that flooding in Colorado may damage the agricultural industry. Harvests are facing a double threat: rot from standing water and distribution issues following the destruction of key infrastructure, Reuters reports.
The flooded South Platte River has swamped nearby cornfields, preventing farmers from reaching their crops and increasing the likelihood that they will rot. Beyond standing water, farmers must contend with a series of storm-related difficulties, including damage to irrigation systems and wet ground that’s too muddy for combines to handle.
But some wheat farmers may get a boost from the rain. About 25 percent of the state’s wheat farms are in the southeastern corner, an area impacted by drought. The extra rain may lead to a positive impact in the future by recharging soils and filling reservoirs used for agriculture, the Associated Press reports.