Cat Cash (Laboratory Manager) has been with SeaCrest Group for 4 years, where she focuses on conducting Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) tests and culturing Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnow.
In March 2026, Colorado was recorded as the driest it has been 1895, with levels dropping from 1.07 inches from the average and totaling only 0.45 inches in most areas. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System or Drought.gov, this means that 4.7 million Coloradans are now in areas of drought. Temperatures have ranged from 20-30 degrees above the normal average, and the snowpack is optimistically at ~40% of its normal levels. These stats support what climate scientists have been saying for decades, warming temperatures will have long reaching effects and Colorado is experiencing these effects firsthand.
In anticipation of continuing drought conditions, many cities and municipalities have enacted water restrictions. Broomfield, Boulder, Erie, Evergreen, Longmont, Grand Junction, and Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District have all enacted voluntary restrictions. These restrictions include reduced weekly outdoor water usage, and restrictions on daytime usage. Though many of these cities and municipalities call them voluntary, some of them are also prohibiting watering for specific outdoor usage. Arvada, Aurora, Brighton, Denver Water, Edgewater, Golden, Northglenn, Thornton, Woodland Park, Eagle River Water District, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Durango have all enacted mandatory restrictions. These mandatory restrictions range from stage 1 drought restrictions to stage 3. Fort Collins-Loveland Water District is still waiting for April’s levels to reveal if drought restrictions are necessary. These restrictions were current as of April 16th, 2026, to CPR.org, but they can change at any time as drought conditions worsen or improve. Drought outlooks come from a monthly forecast and are based on long-term cycles that influence weather in North America. You can find the drought forecast on NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center website (www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov).
Long-term forecasts in Colorado have greater accuracy in winter months in our region—i.e., winter forecasts of La Niña/El Niño has a greater ability to predict winter weather, whereas long-term summer forecasts historically have not been as reliable (Crimmins and McClaran 2016). This means that citizens should operate as if drought conditions will worsen and not improve, as predictions cannot be certain.
Ways you can help include following all restrictions, as well as reducing usage through a variety of ways like intentional landscaping. My personal favorite is xeriscaping. This technique of landscaping has 7 basic principles: planning and design, selecting and zoning plants appropriately, limiting turf areas, improving the soil quality, irrigating efficiently, using mulches to cool soil/plants, and maintaining the landscape. More information on xeriscaping can be found on the US department of energy’s website: www.energy.gov/energysaver/landscaping-water-conservation.
To put it simply though, the water shortages that we have experienced thus far will look mild to what our future holds unless we get heavy record-breaking precipitation. Counting on these hopeful precipitation levels is unrealistic. So, reduction in water usage, especially in outdoor settings, is the best way to conserve water during drought conditions.
No AI was used in the writing of this blog
