We Are Colorado WaterWiseAddressing the state's water challenges by improving water efficiency through diverse community connections, innovative solutions and valuable member resources |
68% | of the state is in drought |
Woohoo! It's a good year for Colorado soils, rivers, wildlife...and us, too. We've overall had a wet winter and spring. Does that mean we don't need to conserve water? No! One good water year does not make up for years of drought and climate aridification. A wet year is a good time to make some changes, adapt to our semi-arid climate, and prepare for many future drought years.
The U.S. Drought Monitor releases a map every Thursday showing parts of the U.S. that are in drought. The Drought Monitor has been a team effort since its inception in 1999, produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Follow the link on the left for the current Colorado drought map. |
Local drought response may be triggered by any number of things depending on the characteristics of that water system: stream levels or soil moisture or water storage thresholds, just to name a few. Local governments and water providers may also respond to drought in different ways, including but not limited to watering restrictions. Check with your provider to learn about their drought plan and current restrictions.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board provides a search tool to find the current water restrictions in your area. You can use the name of your city, county or zip code.
Follow the link on the left to search water restrictions. |
The Colorado State University Climate Center is a one-stop-shop for drought information. Find data on precipitation, soil moisture, temperature, reservoir storage levels and more. Follow the link on the left. |