Submit Your 2026 Drought Story

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• Drouth

  by Peggy Cline, 9 days ago

  Drouth

  By Peggy Cline

  An old-fashioned word for drought which I had to look up, was used by my father and now, my sister, Joyce, also a wheat farmer and cattle rancher as was my father. I was surprised to hear my best friend's husband us the word too, in a recent trip to Wyoming.

  Since my family had moved from northeastern Colorado, life with neither an abundance of rain nor a comfortable sufficience existed. I remember feeling the pain and need as I watched American Idol a few years ago. A teen-aged black girl with a faded old-fashioned house... Continue reading

  Drouth

  By Peggy Cline

  An old-fashioned word for drought which I had to look up, was used by my father and now, my sister, Joyce, also a wheat farmer and cattle rancher as was my father. I was surprised to hear my best friend's husband us the word too, in a recent trip to Wyoming.

  Since my family had moved from northeastern Colorado, life with neither an abundance of rain nor a comfortable sufficience existed. I remember feeling the pain and need as I watched American Idol a few years ago. A teen-aged black girl with a faded old-fashioned house dress sang, with a pleading look of desperation, as she prayed for rain. I imagined a family of former slaves and sharecroppers, released from their bondage, to grow their own crops, heavily reliant on some meager moisture from the sky, unable to afford a loss.

  We had experienced some nearly desperate times waiting for rain on our farm northeast of Greeley. At least my dad had made friends with bankers! Friends who had developed an area in Hygiene and planted a forest of trees, worried that they would lose their expensive gamble. My repeat Denverite renters at my condo in Silverthorne told me that they had "watched the mountain melt away beneath our skis."

  This drought-stricken year caused me to make sacrifices on my property in Erie. I was used to pumping water from my pond to support my line-up of trees and pasture grass, but for the first time since I've lived here, no irrigation water from Marshall Lake filled my pond; it looked like Lake Mead with its cracked mud segments, so jagged, they were dangerous to walk on. It was "Lake Me' this year, and woe is me!

  It hurt my heart to see the reduction in the pond I could wade in to a circle the size of a child's wading pool. Within the circle crowded the frogs that had hatched this year, along with the miniscule remainder of small fish. The frogs' skinny legs and tiny bodies suggested malnourishment or no nourishment at all; they should have been nearly full grown by late August. When I walked by in the blazing sun, I watched them frantically thrash for freedom and oxygen.

  On one of the extremely rare days we had rain, I was walking to the pond to appreciate the pounding drops which darkened the mud, changing it from its alkaline pallor, when I had to stop abruptly to avoid tripping over a large adult frog which had hopped quickly, seemingly to catch up with me. As I stopped, so did he within 10" of me. I wish I could have discerned what this frog was trying to communicate in his froggy way. I missed the cacophony of frog choruses outside my bedroom windows that had filled the nights every summer, sometimes so loud and lusty it was hard to sleep. Was he missing those nights too? Did he want me to save his progeny, his undersized kids that were barely surviving in that brown, nourishment-lacking mudhole? I remembered that I had hardly needed to slap mosquitoes this summer or smack flies. What were those green beings eating?

  I began running a hose on the edge of the pond which drew some frogs but most mainly stayed within their ever diminishing pool. Oddly, on a 10 minute episode of hard rain, they scurried out of the pond to the dry ground outside the perimeter.

  The mud in the pond is like quicksand or wet concrete which keeps me from going in to round them up and net them, but where would I move them? There's no water anywhere near-by.

  A friend got stuck above her knees. I had to flip over a metal lawn chair to aid my pulling her out. Minutes later, I was stuck and had to leave my polka-dot boot in the greedy muck.

  When I returned after a 6 days' absence, all the frogs were gone. No vestige of mud was left. I've read that wetland creatures will estivate, find a wet area into which to bury themselves until conditions are conducive to their reappearance. I don't know if my overabundance of cattails has any moisture that could sustain my loyal frogs. I'm hesitant and even afraid to test them.

  Weather predictions say we'll have a more usual season of moisture this coming year, but I believe it will take two years or more to entice the birds and frogs to return to their sanctuary. Life around the pond in the spring will be different and full of expectation, for croaking frogs and trilling birds, filled with silent cheerleading for their much- anticipated appearance.

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Troubles in the Headwaters

  by Devan Aziz, 3 months ago

  Earlier this summer I stood near the river at the start of the 15-Mile Reach and watched the wind push the surface of the Colorado upstream. It was a striking thing to see, and it was only possible because the flow was so low. A few hundred feet away, the agricultural canals were running full and swift. That contrast is the clearest picture I can give of what this year has looked like here. The demand has not changed. The river no longer has the water to give the way it once did. Will we shape our decisions honestly around... Continue reading

  Earlier this summer I stood near the river at the start of the 15-Mile Reach and watched the wind push the surface of the Colorado upstream. It was a striking thing to see, and it was only possible because the flow was so low. A few hundred feet away, the agricultural canals were running full and swift. That contrast is the clearest picture I can give of what this year has looked like here. The demand has not changed. The river no longer has the water to give the way it once did. Will we shape our decisions honestly around that? Will we face it plainly and plan for a future that lives within our limits to growth?

  I came to Colorado to be at the headwaters because I expected upstream and downstream water conflicts to define the future of the West. I did not expect that future to arrive this quickly, or that in-state diversions would weigh so heavily on the balance.

• Winter Park ResortSnowmaking More Vital than Ever

  by Winter Park Jen, 4 months ago

  Winter Park Resort and Colorado's tourism economy is reliant on consistent and abundant snow fall. The 2025-26 winter season was challenging and impacted guest behavior and overall skier visits all season long. Two seasons ago Winter Park completed a $37 million snowmaking upgrade, which helped us build our base and salvage a season with historically low snowfall. Even with the snowmaking upgrade however, warm temperatures in the fall made it hard for us to make snow consistently, which delayed opening terrain across the whole mountain. Warm temperatures in the spring accelerated melting and ultimately cut our season short. The result... Continue reading

  Winter Park Resort and Colorado's tourism economy is reliant on consistent and abundant snow fall. The 2025-26 winter season was challenging and impacted guest behavior and overall skier visits all season long. Two seasons ago Winter Park completed a $37 million snowmaking upgrade, which helped us build our base and salvage a season with historically low snowfall. Even with the snowmaking upgrade however, warm temperatures in the fall made it hard for us to make snow consistently, which delayed opening terrain across the whole mountain. Warm temperatures in the spring accelerated melting and ultimately cut our season short. The result was fewer skier visits and less revenue. Winter Park wasn't alone in experiencing a down year. Colorado's ski industry reported a nearly 20 percent drop in skier visits for the 2025-26 season.

  Winter Park Resort sits at the headwaters of the Fraser River, which feeds into the Colorado River only about 20 miles downstream. Less snow on our slopes means less water in the rivers, which impacts far more than people's vacations. Our snowmaking upgrade included a retention pond and more efficient water pipes and guns. We can more efficiently put snow on the ground if it's not falling from the sky, but we still have limits. Future seasons rely on snowmelt to replenish the pond and the rivers downslope in the spring. The more snow we can put on the hill in the fall, the better we are in the spring.

  We will continue to invest in our snowmaking system, and work with the State on the weather modification program. And we will continue to advocate and support the work of water conservationists and preservations.

• Grand County Community Water Supply Limits

  by Adam Cwiklin, 4 months ago

  Grand County communities are facing unprecedented drought impacts. The Town of Kremmling is currently navigating an unprecedented water supply crisis driven by historically low snowpack, depleted runoff, and critically low river levels. This year, neither of the Town’s primary supply reservoirs filled, leaving one below deadpool. With primary storage exhausted, the Town’s backup supply—the Colorado River intake—became a vital municipal lifeline. However, a structural failure within the infiltration gallery, compounded by historically low river elevations and heavy sediment deposition, rendered the intake unreliable. To prevent a complete loss of municipal water, emergency crews are urgently rehabilitating the physical intake infrastructure... Continue reading

  Grand County communities are facing unprecedented drought impacts. The Town of Kremmling is currently navigating an unprecedented water supply crisis driven by historically low snowpack, depleted runoff, and critically low river levels. This year, neither of the Town’s primary supply reservoirs filled, leaving one below deadpool. With primary storage exhausted, the Town’s backup supply—the Colorado River intake—became a vital municipal lifeline. However, a structural failure within the infiltration gallery, compounded by historically low river elevations and heavy sediment deposition, rendered the intake unreliable. To prevent a complete loss of municipal water, emergency crews are urgently rehabilitating the physical intake infrastructure while simultaneously installing a temporary surface-water bypass pump to manually draw water directly from the open river channel.

  In response to this acute shortfall, Town leadership and residents have acted decisively. Kremmling implemented strict Phase 3 water restrictions in March, prohibiting all non-essential water usage, including lawn irrigation, residential car washing, and bulk water sales. Concurrently, the Town is aggressively pursuing emergency financial assistance and technical support through close coordination with the Colorado River District, the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), and the Grand County Drought Committee. Kremmling’s situation underscores the cascading operational vulnerabilities that mountain communities face during extreme climate events, highlighting the critical need for rapid-response infrastructure funding and regional collaboration.

  
  

• Difficult days in the Rafting Industry

  by Ryan, 4 months ago
  The current drought conditions have had a severe affect on our whitewater rafting outfitting business. We have seen a drastic reduction in visitors. However, more damaging is the reduction in the length of our season. We have already ceased operations on our most productive sections of river with roughly a 30% loss in our season length. Unfortunately, this part of the season tends to be the busiest for tourism. We anticipate that this will lead to a much greater than 30% loss of revenue. To offset this, we have already begun to focus our trips on Colorado's last stand for... Continue reading

  The current drought conditions have had a severe affect on our whitewater rafting outfitting business. We have seen a drastic reduction in visitors. However, more damaging is the reduction in the length of our season. We have already ceased operations on our most productive sections of river with roughly a 30% loss in our season length. Unfortunately, this part of the season tends to be the busiest for tourism. We anticipate that this will lead to a much greater than 30% loss of revenue. To offset this, we have already begun to focus our trips on Colorado's last stand for rivers, the Colorado River. The reservoirs are keeping it flowing, but each day the reservoir levels drop. We stay optimistic and guide customers to what rafting opportunities are still available.

  
  

  My family has built our lives around the Colorado outdoors and the amazing experiences it has to offer. However, without much needed water, these experiences will cease to exist. We have seen a reduction in staffing, visitors, and income that is very hard to manage. We look forward to and pray for a big winter, because without that, the results would be dire for our families and communities.

• Arkansas River 2026

  by Andy, 4 months ago

  2026 will mark my 40th consecutive year on the Arkansas River here in Colorado. As a river outfitter, I live around, on, and quite literally in the river, and I am so proud to be able to say that. This river has been my life for over 2/3rds of my lifetime, and I cannot think of a better way to spend a career, and what a great way to raise a family. My wife and I are from Colorado; we met in Gunnison at Western State College in the 80s. Our three kids all graduated from the Colorado State University... Continue reading

  2026 will mark my 40th consecutive year on the Arkansas River here in Colorado. As a river outfitter, I live around, on, and quite literally in the river, and I am so proud to be able to say that. This river has been my life for over 2/3rds of my lifetime, and I cannot think of a better way to spend a career, and what a great way to raise a family. My wife and I are from Colorado; we met in Gunnison at Western State College in the 80s. Our three kids all graduated from the Colorado State University system, and I can literally say I paid tuition for my kids with half-, full-, and multi-day river trips in Colorado.

  
  

  2026 has presented our industry with challenges we have overcome before, but this drought has introduced an entirely new level of complexity. Native flow has subsided to the point of making many sections of the river impassable to guided raft traffic. Guides who are charming, upbeat, and positive people are feeling the pressure physically and emotionally. Their passion for the river is being tested daily. There is the economic side of the commercial river industry and the fact that we are a primary driver of visitation for the river communities that dot the path of the Arkansas. As this may live on in posterity someplace, it should be noted that things are awful and operations are literally crippled. Combined with the fires that accompany droughts, we have even more headwinds with dwindling visitation to the state in general. The commercial river industry will be forced to change and evolve, but there will be losers along the way. Our industry is based on passion, but we have to meet certain criteria in order to pursue that passion, and things like insurance, payroll, compliance, advertising, utilities, and bank loans are not subject to drought and will continue to flow our way. As an industry, we provide access to a unique Colorado experience that I can only hope will remain a hallmark of why we choose to live and play here.

  It must be mentioned that we are just one facet of a complex water ecosystem. Looking at my peers in agriculture, I feel I know what they go through on a daily basis. The challenge of wondering what tomorrow will hold, let alone a year from now, which feels very far away. Municipal and industrial uses are also pinched, and we are all in this together. Then there is the health of the riparian corridor and the habitat, wildlife, and fishery that depend on it. We can only hope for a return to a more normal precipitation pattern, but those of us keeping score know the resource continues to feel the stress of ongoing development, rising temperatures, and a host of other nuanced scenarios that just keep unfolding.

  Hoping for rain is not a strategy. Increased storage, continued cooperation, embracing new technologies (LIDAR), and thinking outside of the box while trying new ideas should be embraced.

• When the River Runs Thin

  by Browns Canyon Rafting, 4 months ago

  The Arkansas River has always been the heartbeat of Buena Vista — the reason people find this small mountain town in the first place. This summer, though, that heartbeat is faint. The drought has pulled the water down to levels the rafting community has never seen, and for Browns Canyon Rafting, it's changed everything.

  Business is down 60%. That number doesn't just live on a spreadsheet — it shows up in empty seats on the bus, guides checking the schedule board and finding fewer trips than they hoped for, and a growing unease about what the rest of the season... Continue reading

  The Arkansas River has always been the heartbeat of Buena Vista — the reason people find this small mountain town in the first place. This summer, though, that heartbeat is faint. The drought has pulled the water down to levels the rafting community has never seen, and for Browns Canyon Rafting, it's changed everything.

  Business is down 60%. That number doesn't just live on a spreadsheet — it shows up in empty seats on the bus, guides checking the schedule board and finding fewer trips than they hoped for, and a growing unease about what the rest of the season holds. The crew that shows up every morning ready to work is now facing thinner hours and an uncertain paycheck, through no fault of their own. It's hard to watch people who love this river and love this job feel the strain of something completely out of their control.

  The water itself has become the daily obstacle. What used to be a smooth, predictable run down the canyon is now a maze of exposed rock and skinny channels. Boats are getting hung up mid-trip, guides are having to walk clients through sections they'd normally float, and delays have become part of the routine rather than the exception. Every trip takes more effort, more caution, and more time than it used to — and there's a real chance the season ends early if the flows drop much further.

  An early shutdown means refunds going out the door instead of revenue coming in. It means letting go of seasonal staff before they expected it, cutting short both their income and the community that forms every summer among the guides. And it doesn't stop at the put-in. Buena Vista's restaurants, hotels, gear shops, and gas stations all feel the ripple when fewer rafters roll into town. The river draws visitors here — when the river struggles, so does everyone downstream of that decision, literally and figuratively.

  Still, the boats keep launching each morning that the water allows and guests who do come out are having a blast. There's a resilience in this town and in the outfitters who call it home — an adaptability born from years of reading conditions and adjusting on the fly. This year is testing that resilience more than most. But Browns Canyon Rafting, like the rest of Buena Vista, is finding ways to keep moving forward, one lower, harder, more determined trip at a time.