PALISADE, Colo. — As western Colorado orchards and vineyards gear up for the critical April start of irrigation season, two big worries dominate kitchen-table talk: a bone-dry winter that left reservoirs low and the growing threat of zebra mussels invading the ditches that keep Grand Valley agriculture alive.
Snowpack across the Colorado River Basin sits at just 68% of normal as of early March 2025, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Blue Mesa Reservoir is only 52% full. That combination has veteran growers bracing for another tight water year while they also keep an eye on microscopic invaders that could clog pumps and sprinklers for decades.
Zebra Mussels Move Closer Than Ever
Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed zebra mussel larvae in the Colorado River near Grand Junction in late 2024, the first detection inside state lines. Since then, boat inspections have ramped up and the agency rolled out its “Oh Shell No” campaign to stop the spread.
Bruce Talbott, who manages Talbott’s Mountain Gold orchards in Palisade, says the news hits close to home.
“We have never had contaminants in our system, but we sure don’t want mussels coating every pipe and valve,” Talbott told me this week. His farm is switching every acre to micro-sprinkler irrigation, a $2 million project that gives better control but also makes them more vulnerable to tiny clogs.
Across town at Varaison Vineyards & Winery, winemaker Alexander West uses traditional furrow irrigation through open ditches. He admits mussels worry him less than they worry sprinkler farmers.
“Our system is pretty forgiving when it comes to small blockages,” West said. “Silt and mud have always been the bigger headache coming off the Colorado River.”
Both men draw water from the same river, but their delivery systems could hardly be more different, and that split explains why some growers lose sleep over mussels while others lose sleep over mud.
Water Supply Tops Every Worry List
Ask any Grand Valley producer what keeps them up at night and they will say “water” before they say “mussels.”
The Grand Valley Water Users Association, which operates the historic Cameo Diversion Dam, supplies more than 23,000 acres through the Palisade, Orchard Mesa, and Mesa County ditches. Managers there report the river is running low and muddy earlier than usual.
“We’re already seeing calls from senior rights holders asking when we’ll start the headgates,” said one association employee who asked not to be named. “Everyone remembers 2021 and 2022. Nobody wants to live through that again.”
Talbott plans to turn water on the first week of April, partly for frost protection. Peach buds can handle a late freeze if the trees are wet; dry buds die fast.
West plans to wait until mid-April. “Let the river flush itself a little first,” he said. “There’s always a slug of debris when they first open the dams.”
How Growers Are Fighting Back
Local operations are taking clear steps:
- Installing extra screens and settling ponds
- Converting from flood to micro-sprinkler systems (cost: $8,000–$12,000 per acre)
- Running river water through restaurant-grade filters before it touches fruit destined for fresh packing
- Coordinating with the Grand Valley Water Users Association for early-season high flows to flush ditches
The association’s fish screens at Cameo already catch most debris, but adult mussels can still slip through and spawn upstream.
Reason for Guarded Optimism
Despite the double threat, both Talbott and West sound more determined than defeated.
“Everybody wishes we had more snow, but we’ll work with what Mother Nature gives us,” West said while walking rows of dormant chardonnay vines. “At least the vines went into winter healthy.”
Talbott looked out over his peach blocks turning pink with bud swell and smiled. “A good fruit crop helps the whole valley. We want it for ourselves, sure, but we want it for our neighbors even more.”
That neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit is what has kept Grand Valley farming alive through droughts, freezes, and now invasive mussels. The pumps will start turning soon, and another season of Palisade peaches and Colorado wine will hang in the balance.
What do you think, western Colorado? Are you worried about water this year, mussels, or both? Drop your thoughts in the comments and tag #OhShellNo if you are out there cleaning boats and gear. Our farmers are counting on all of us.
