By Julie Johansen
Rey Lloyd Hatt has been on Hatt’s Pheasant Ranch since 1934 and he never remembers the water in the San Rafael River drying up this early in the year.
The Hatts have always used the San Rafael River for watering their birds. Their problem is that they will have 50,000 birds on the ranch that need water within a few weeks. Normally, a few weeks in the end of July or early August, they may have to haul water to the birds, but never in June. The water was gone on June 12 this year, according to Hatt. Hauling water is expensive and will certainly bring on financial hardships to the Hatts.
The birds are hatched in the breeding facilities in Green River, but once they reach six weeks old, they have to be hauled to the ranch to the flight pens. These birds will drink 3,000 gallons of water each day. Water that will now have to be hauled.
Hatt has contacted the FSA, Farm Service Agency, for drought assistance but, at this date, the availability of these funds is unknown. It seems that in drought years, every producer of anything is affected.