HORIZON MAGAZINE SPRING 2020
WORDS
IAN THOMAS
PHOTOS
KASIA KUCERA & LOGAN WAGNER
ART
KRISTEN HUNKAR
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
western colorado is fast becoming known for its vast recreation opportunities, the best peaches in the world and a vibrant, tight-knit community. We’ve withstood economic booms and busts, floods and dry years and have always regrouped, emerging stronger on the other side. However, our greatest challenge yet is already here and will continue to unfold over the coming decades, testing the very foundation of our community. Climate change affects everyone indiscriminately, affecting water supply, snowpack, disease spread and even what it means to be a Coloradoan. Agriculture in the Grand Valley has been a cornerstone of our economy since the first field was plowed in the late 1800s, drawing on irrigation from the Colorado River and fertile soils. Today, our vibrant agricultural community has an estimated yearly sales figure upwards of $150 million, employing an estimated 400 workers in Mesa County, according to the Grand Junction Economic Partnership. The mighty Colorado River not only provides the water for our growing agricultural industry, but also serves
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