Northern Water Boosts Farmers' Water Supply

LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) - Water officials are boosting the amount of water that allottees of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project can receive this year.

The project's reservoirs collect melting mountain snow for northeast Colorado water users served by the Northern Water Conservancy District.

On Friday, the district's board of directors approved a 100 percent quota so that project allottees can collect a full acre-foot of water for every unit of project water that they own. An acre-foot can meet the annual needs of about two households.

District directors say they decided to boost the quota from 90 percent in April because they're concerned about farmers who will need more water after a dry, mild winter.

Water officials say a wet winter last year has helped keep reservoir levels healthy despite drier conditions this year.

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