Environmental Law & Policy Alert – Somach Simmons & Dunn

April 7, 2026

Priority, Calls, and a Historic Drought in Colorado: What You Need to Know

Colorado is heading into one of the most severe drought years in modern memory—and for many water users who have never faced a water call, this may be the year that changes.

Snowpack across Colorado is alarmingly thin. As of mid-March 2026, statewide average snow water equivalent—the measure of how much water the snowpack holds—sits at just 62% of median, the second lowest recorded in the past 46 years. The water year has also been the warmest on record in 131 years of tracking by the Colorado Climate Center. Governor Jared Polis responded on March 16, 2026, by activating Phase 2 of the Colorado Drought Response Plan, citing severe drought conditions across 40 counties, convening within 30 days to assess conditions and guide the state’s response heading into irrigation season
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Written by Lindsey A. Ratcliff