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Colorado Drought Information

Drought is an extended period of below-normal precipitation that can result in water supply shortages, increased water demand, or both, and Colorado is no stranger to these conditions. Low reservoir levels, water use restrictions, and necessary personal water conservation have become part of regular daily life for residents of Colorado.

Resources

Denver Water presents the latest news on drought, water use restrictions, Xeriscape, and other water-related facts. They also maintain an information phone line, 303-628-6343, which you can call during normal business hours.

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Online Water Resources maintains information on Front Range Water Restrictions and Guidelines, Drought Management, and Fact Sheets about gardening, water conservation, and other water-related topics. Together with Denver Botanic Gardens, they manage Plant Select^®, a program that finds and distributes recommended plants for gardens from the high plains to the intermountain region.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Drought Information Center offers drought information on the United States in the form of easy-to-read maps and graphs, as well as background information on the nation's climate.

Water ConservationTips

Here are a few tips for conserving water around the house:

Take showers rather than baths and keep them to a maximum of five minutes (you can turn off the water while soaping up).
Try to flush the toilet two fewer times per day.
Use your dishwasher and washing machine only with full loads.
Don't let the water run while you brush your teeth, wash your face or shave.
Fix those faucet, toilet, and showerhead leaks.
Install a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet.
Install a low-flow showerhead.
Install faucet aerators.
Replace your old washing machine with a front loading machine that uses less water and energy.
Wrap your hot water heater and pipes with insulating material.

More water conservation tips from The Water Information Program

Books

	Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water by Marc Reisner The Cadillac Desert video series is also available.
	Watershed: The Undamming of America by Elizabeth Grossman
	Crossing the Next Meridian: Land, Water and the Future of the West by Charles F. Wilkinson
	Water in the West : A High Country News Reader edited by Char Miller
	Water: A Practical Guide to Using and Conserving Water in the Garden edited by Susan McClure
	Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly, and the Politics of Thirst edited by Diane Raines Ward

Other Resources

Learn about low water use landscaping or gardening with our Xeriscape Information page.

View Western History's historic drought documents.