Irrigation ditch flushing begins

On Wednesday evening, select irrigation ditches were inspected and flushed as a first step toward opening the ditches for farmers and ranchers who depend on the Animas River for watering livestock and crops. Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency coordinated the effort with Butch Knowlton, director of the La Plata County Office of Emergency Management. People just getting used to seeing the Animas looking more like itself should not be concerned if they see a short-term change. “I expect to see a slight temporary change in color of the Animas River as a result of the ditch flushing,” Knowlton said. They will develop a plan to open and flush remaining ditches based on the results of the initial flush. “Despite the opening of the ditches, owners of livestock are cautioned against allowing livestock watering at this time,” the county, city of Durango, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the EPA said in a joint news release Wednesday night...more