Last updated: March 27, 2026
What's Happening Right Now
On March 25, 2026, the Denver Board of Water Commissioners unanimously approved a Stage 1 drought declaration — effective immediately. It is the first Stage 1 declaration since 2013, the fifth since 2000, and the earliest in the year that Denver Water has ever issued mandatory restrictions. The utility serves 1.5 million people across Denver, Lakewood, Littleton, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Greenwood Village, and other suburbs. (Denver Water)
Governor Polis activated Phase 2 of Colorado's Drought Response Plan and the state Drought Task Force on March 16 — the first activation since 2020. (CWCB) That move preceded an unprecedented mid-March heat wave that shattered temperature records across the state, with readings 20 to 30 degrees above normal for days in a row. Fort Collins hit 91°F — hotter than its all-time April record. (Colorado Climate Center)
The heat destroyed what was left of an already record-low snowpack. As of March 25, statewide snow water equivalent sits at 38% of the 1991–2020 median — the lowest in more than 40 years and possibly the lowest ever recorded in Colorado. (Colorado State University) Snowpack peaked around March 8–10 at roughly half of normal, about a month earlier than the typical peak in early April. The heat wave then wiped out about 40% of what had accumulated. (NBC News)
Within Denver Water's collection areas, the situation is even worse. The Colorado River Basin snowpack stands at 55% of normal — the worst on record. The South Platte River Basin is at 42% of normal — also the worst on record. Denver Water's supply manager has said the utility is 7 to 8 feet of snow behind where it needs to be, and recovering to normal at this point would require the snowiest April on record by a wide margin. (Denver Water)
The U.S. Drought Monitor map for March 24, 2026 shows exceptional drought (D4) — the highest severity level — expanding across northwest Colorado, with extreme drought (D3) growing across the central mountains and southern portions of the state. No improvements were made anywhere in the High Plains region this week. (U.S. Drought Monitor / Coyote Gulch)
What This Means for Your Water Bill
Mandatory restrictions are now in effect across much of metro Denver, and more are coming.
Denver Water (Stage 1 — effective immediately, March 25): Lawn watering is limited to two days per week on assigned days. Even-numbered addresses water Sundays and Thursdays; odd-numbered addresses water Wednesdays and Saturdays. Commercial, multifamily, and HOA properties water Tuesdays and Fridays only. No watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Restaurants may only serve water on request. Hotels must limit linen changes to every four days. Personal car washing requires a hose with an auto shut-off nozzle. The goal is a 20% reduction in water use through April 2027. Drought pricing surcharges for outdoor water use will be discussed April 8. (Colorado Sun)
Denver Water staff warned the board that without at least Stage 1 restrictions, reservoir storage could drop to 57% of capacity by 2027. Reservoirs currently sit at 80%, compared to the typical 85% for this time of year. That sounds adequate — but runoff to refill them will be a fraction of normal. (Colorado Sun)
Thornton (Stage 1 — enacted earlier in March): The first metro city to declare. Twice-weekly watering starting May 1. $100 residential / $250 commercial fines after a warning period.
Aurora (Stage 1 vote expected April 6, restrictions April 7): Reservoir storage at 58% capacity. Two-day-per-week watering on assigned days. No new cool-season turf installations (bluegrass, fescue). No filling private swimming pools. Decorative fountains must be turned off. Enforcement will be aggressive — one warning, then fines of $125 escalating to $500 by the fourth violation, plus rate surcharges for customers not cutting use by 20%. Aurora's water general manager has warned that if Stage 1 doesn't produce results, Stage 2 restrictions (once-a-week watering) could follow by year's end. (Aurora Sentinel)
Erie (Emergency Level 4): All residential sprinklers ordered off through end of March. Water demand surged 30% above normal as residents turned on irrigation early in the warm weather. Officials threatened to shut off water taps for non-compliant properties. Earliest even-numbered addresses can resume watering: April 4. (CBS Colorado)
Arvada: Declared drought March 24. Aligning with Denver Water Stage 1 restrictions. Will publish its own assigned watering days soon.
Highlands Ranch: Drought watch declared March 1. Outdoor watering limited to three days per week.
Boulder, Fort Collins, Westminster: Not yet restricted but all monitoring closely. Boulder expected to decide around May 1. Westminster will discuss drought response April 7.
For a complete breakdown of restrictions in your city, see our city-by-city watering restrictions guide.
What This Means for Your Yard
Do not turn on your sprinkler system. Denver Water is explicitly asking customers to keep automated systems off until mid- to late May. Hand-watering trees and shrubs with a hose and shut-off nozzle is fine any day — just not between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Running your system now wastes water you'll need later. For details on how to handle your system this spring, see our guide on starting up irrigation after winter.
Prioritize trees over lawn. Trees are the most valuable and slowest-to-replace element in your landscape. A mature shade tree takes 20–30 years to grow; your lawn can recover in one season. In a drought year, water trees first, shrubs second, and lawn last. On sunny days above 40°F, water trees along the drip line — the outer edge of the canopy — using a soaker hose or by hand. The general guideline is 15 gallons per inch of trunk diameter, once or twice a month during dry periods.
Consider letting lawn go dormant. Kentucky bluegrass can survive 4–6 weeks of dormancy and recover when watering resumes. Fighting restrictions to keep grass green is expensive and often futile under two-day-per-week limits. If the lawn turns brown, it's not necessarily dead — it's conserving energy. Under the new Aurora rules, you can't even install new bluegrass or fescue sod this year.
Mulch everything. City Floral in Denver noted that adding 2–3 inches of mulch over exposed soil dramatically reduces evaporation and helps stretch whatever water you can apply. This is one of the highest-return moves you can make right now.
Wildfire risk is elevated. Dry conditions, record-low snowpack, and high winds have already caused Xcel Energy to preemptively shut off power to tens of thousands of Front Range customers multiple times this winter. The U.S. Drought Monitor now shows exceptional drought (D4) in northwest Colorado — the highest category — and the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center projects well-below-average runoff statewide. If you live near foothills or open space, now is the time to create or maintain defensible space around your property.
What You Can Do Now
Know your assigned watering days. Denver Water customers: even addresses water Sundays and Thursdays, odd addresses water Wednesdays and Saturdays. Violations will carry fines. Our Water & Drought page tracks restrictions for Denver, Boulder, Thornton, Aurora, Erie, Westminster, Arvada, and more.
Audit your irrigation system before turning it on. A single broken head or cracked lateral line can waste thousands of gallons you can't afford this summer. Walk every zone before the first run. Denver Water's Stage 1 rules require leaking systems to be repaired within 10 days. See our sprinkler leak detection guide.
Look into xeriscape rebates. Multiple Front Range cities offer $0.75–$2.00 per square foot for turf removal. A 1,000-square-foot conversion could net $750–$2,000 back. Most programs require pre-approval before work begins. Aurora's GRIP program is available now. Denver Water offers ColoradoScape rebates for turf removal plus a free DIY landscape guide. See our xeriscape guide for details.
Use the water calculator. Estimate your summer water costs based on yard size, sprinkler type, and your city's rates with our Lawn Water Calculator.
How 2026 Compares to Past Droughts
This is shaping up to be the worst snow drought in Colorado's modern records. The benchmark had been the winter of 2001–2002, when the state ended winter with roughly 53% of average snowpack. The current season has blown past that — statewide SWE peaked at about half of the median and is now at 38% and falling. The Colorado Climate Center at CSU has noted that the only comparable snow droughts in the longer-term record were 1976–77 and 1980–81, both of which resulted in record-low streamflow on some of Colorado's rivers. (Colorado State University)
What makes 2026 different is the compounding factors. Winter 2025–2026 was the warmest in Colorado's 131-year recorded history. Fort Collins logged 43 winter days with highs of 60°F or above — nearly double the previous record of 22 set in 1980–81. CSU state climatologists have said they cannot find a historical analog for the combination of record-low snowpack, record warmth, and such an early and dramatic melt. (Colorado Climate Center)
The good news is that infrastructure has improved since 2002. Denver Water customers use about 35% less water per household than 24 years ago. Reservoir storage at 80% is tight but not critical — yet. The risk is what happens next. Denver Water warned its board that without conservation, reserves could drop to 57% by 2027. If 2026 delivers a dry summer without a strong monsoon, the multi-year compounding effect could push the system into Stage 2 or Stage 3 restrictions.
NBC News quoted Denver Water spokesperson Todd Hartman: the utility could be telling customers to cut to one day of watering per week within two or three months if conditions don't improve. (NBC News)