Drought-Stricken Colorado Mulls Water Measuring for Agriculture

Colorado is proposing to ramp up requirements that agricultural water users, ranging from big companies to small mom-and-pop farms, measure the amount of water they divert from streams, rivers and waterways.

The state engineer says a statewide rule is necessary to prepare Colorado for a water-scarce future. Some water users, however, accuse the state of taking a heavy-handed and overly expensive approach that will force landowners to install devices in areas that don’t need them.

The move comes as Western states struggle to manage water resources amid an historic drought, climate change, and a ...