Despite recent rain, much of the Roaring Fork Watershed remains in “exceptional” drought as of the autumn equinox. Pitkin and Eagle counties are among the 15.2% in the state categorized in the highest ranking for drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor, alongside Lake and Alamosa counties. The majority of Garfield County is in either exceptional or “extreme” drought, the next highest ranking.
The dryness paired with above-average temperatures in 2026 made the January through August period the sixth-driest recorded in Colorado since 1895, with 3.78 fewer inches of rain than average. That decreased precipitation has shown in local watersheds and trickled into recreation management. By June, local angling guides were sharing anecdotes about adjusting trips to early hours of the morning to reduce stress on fish.
In July, water closures and interventions began, while local river monitoring started registering record low flows. Pitkin County Open Space and Trails closed the North Star Nature Preserve to watercraft on July 28, when measured flows on that stretch of the Upper Roaring Fork River were 20 cubic feet per second (cfs), less than one quarter of the historical average for that time of year. One week later, on Aug. 6, the Colorado River District and Colorado Water Conservation Board began intermittent releases from Ruedi Reservoir to help maintain river flows in the lower Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers.
“One of the reservoir’s purposes is to compensate Colorado River Basin water users for the diversion of Colorado River Basin water to the Arkansas River Basin in southeastern Colorado,” according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Roaring Fork Conservancy reported that the August “releases out of Ruedi were used towards satisfying the Colorado River Basin Emergency Substitute Water Supply Plan to protect legal water availability for municipal and domestic users and support irrigators throughout the basin, including senior water rights in the Grand Valley, and to support aquatic conditions in the Fryingpan, Roaring Fork, and Colorado rivers.”
Those emergency releases lowered water temperatures by up to 7 degrees Fahrenheit on the lower Roaring Fork and helped mediate downstream irrigation needs. However, the reservoir releases also affected recreation around Ruedi. A popular boating destination, Ruedi’s boat ramp was closed on Aug. 4. Before the water releases, the reservoir was considered low enough that managers deemed boating use unsafe for the remainder of the season. The Ruedi Boat Ramp is typically open through Oct. 31.
The reservoir also hosts five different campgrounds along its shores. On Sept. 9,
White River National Forest managers closed the lowest two campgrounds, Little Maud and Mollie B, on the northwest shores due to lack of water. Some of the higher campgrounds remain open. Officials have encouraged campers across the White River National Forest to fill water tanks before arriving at campgrounds due to low wells and water availability.
On Sept. 10, Roaring Fork Conservancy announced record lows across the watershed. The Crystal River at the Carbondale Fish Hatchery was measured at 8.8 cfs the preceding week, 12% of the historical average. The Fryingpan River at Meredith, above Ruedi, was measured at 12 cfs, 16% of average.
Recent rain has led to additional water release requests from downriver water users. From Sept 13 to Sept 17, rainfall in Aspen totaled 1.05 inches, according to Pinpoint Weather. The town’s historical average for September is 1.89 inches.
In response, Grand Valley water users requested that Ruedi releases be increased by 50 cfs to 170 cfs. Grand Valley farmers’ growing season runs until Nov. 1, most years. The increased rate started Sept. 18, then decreased to 115 cfs on Sept. 21, following more rain. The flow rate is expected to continue until further notice.
The seven-day National Weather Service forecast for the region predicts chances of precipitation, 20-70%, most days through Sept. 28.
To see more details on river flows in the Roaring Fork Watershed, visit roaringfork.org/your-watershed/river-flows