High & Dry: Colorado in Drought
Colorado is no stranger to drought, but the severe drought that swept through the state in 2020 could be a harbinger of what the future will hold. However, in the arid Southwest, it’s not the first time that such challenges have wrecked lives and livelihoods. This Emmy Award-winning multiseries by The Gazette examines the past, present and future of drought in Colorado. We explore the history of The Dry, a Black community in southeast Colorado undone by drought, the trials of one cattle rancher in El Paso County facing down a near impossible plight, and how scientists, municipalities and agriculture are preparing for the expected increase in chaotic weather.
role: producer, cinematographer, editor
Part 1: The Past
When Rolan Dixon arrived with her family on the high plains of Colorado in 1916, the landscape in its remote solitude was vast and silent. She was 18 and had journeyed 300 miles with her family from Nicodemus, Kan., to start a new life with other Black homesteaders just outside Manzanola — a small farm town some 40 miles southeast of Pueblo.They arrived in Colorado by horse and wagon for the promise of opportunity.
What they found on the Colorado prairie was no oasis. The land was parched, with limited access to water. The new settlers — eventually there would be some 50 Black families — called it “The Dry.”
In part 1 of this series, we explore the history of “The Dry,” a community in southeast Colorado undone by drought.
Part 2: The Present
In the arid landscape of Yoder, Colo., fifth-generation cattle rancher Gary Paul can only watch as his pastures continue to deteriorate. The extreme drought conditions, marked by lack of precipitation and increased fire danger, highlight the devastating consequences of climate change on agricultural livelihoods, as ranchers like Paul grapple the consequences.
In Part 2 of the series, we follow the trials of a 5th generation dryland rancher in El Paso County facing down a near impossible plight in 2020 due to drought.
Part 3: The Future
Colorado faces the challenges of prolonged drought, prompting scientists to prepare for a future of unpredictable weather. The state grapples with the impacts of climate change-induced drought, emphasizing the urgency for proactive measures and scientific initiatives.
In the third part of our series, we follow scientists as they collect climate data across the state, preparing for what promises to be a future of ever more chaotic weather.