Denver Water users anticipate mandatory water restrictions ahead of drought response decision

For Denver Water users, next week, the Board of Water Commissioners will consider possible mandatory watering restrictions. Denver Water is also asking customers to wait until mid-to-late May to turn on sprinkler systems.

As Colorado is facing one of its lowest snowpacks on record, Denver Water says it's likely the commissioners will formalize a drought declaration next week, with watering restrictions that may include assigned watering days and limit watering to two days a week. It's a plan more restrictive than the current rules.

In a statement from Greg Fisher, Denver Water's manager of demand planning, he said, "Overall, we've had an extremely dry winter, and that continues this week -- the last week of winter -- with unusually warm temperatures expected across the region. That could lead to snow melt even at high elevations and highlights the need to conserve water and limit the pull on our reservoir storage."

Denver Water, which serves 1.5 million people in Denver and surrounding neighborhoods, depends on mountain snowpack for 90% of its water supply. Denver Water added that the water collection area is 3 to 4 feet short of where it would prefer to be. It also says, to reach the normal spring snowpack, it would need an additional 7 to 7.5 feet of snow, but time is running out to build a snowpack.

"It is unusual. These are record high temperatures. It doesn't bode well," said Karim Gharbi, a horticulture specialist with Colorado State University. "I think we're going to see much stricter enforcement of watering restrictions. No outdoor watering during those times, and you could face fines or penalties for doing so." 

Gharbi says, for now, you can hand water trees and plants or consider using a hose.

"Consider putting your hose out by the trees base on a trickle, maybe for like an hour," Gharbi said. "Even better, if you have a soaker hose to help more uniformly, distribute the water around the root zone."

Gharbi also recommends waiting to trim trees and plants.

"I know we all want to cut back our gardens to make them look all nice and ready for spring, but a lot of native insects are actually still overwintering in leaf piles or tree hallows," Gharbi explained.

You can make efficient upgrades. You can start some seedlings indoors, or you can collect rainwater. Gharbi also recommends picking less water-intensive plants to plant this year.

"I know a lot of us love tomatoes, but that's a really water-intensive crop compared to peppers, which are more drought tolerant," Gharbi said. "I also think this is maybe not the year to get trees established. Trees need a lot of water in their first year of establishment, especially fruit trees. So I would maybe wait for another year where we have a better situation with our reservoirs."

The sun and warm temperatures are bringing many people outside late this week. While it's not quite time for Lisa Cyren to put her green thumb to use, she's still tending to her dry, brown yard.

"I'm pruning my barberry bushes because they are overgrown and prickly," Cyren said. "You can tell that everything needs moisture, and the ground feels very dry."

Cyren said she normally turns on her sprinklers in late April, but will avoid doing so to conserve water.

"I was thinking that it's so easy to turn on automatic sprinklers and take all the thought and time out of going around with the hand hose, but I understand why they would be considering watering restrictions," Cyren said. "I try to limit my water use. I think it's a fair solution to encourage water restrictions, but it will be hard because you still like to garden and grow vegetables."

It's not a matter of if but more a matter of when the Denver Board of Water Commissioners will declare a Stage 1 drought response. Then mandatory restrictions could go into effect immediately. It would also be the first time since 2013 that the board declared a Stage 1 drought response, and the fifth time since 2000.

The Board of Water Commissioners has meetings on March 25 and April 8.