Drought in Upper Yampa River Basin, Colorado

At the beginning of the month of April, the US Drought Monitor analyzed an area of Exceptional (D4) Drought that covered 100% of Colorado Zone 005 - Upper Yampa River Basin. Drought conditions remained unchanged through the end of the month. Drought impacts thus far have been limited to economic losses due to poor winter tourism, as Steamboat Springs is a ski town. Additionally, there is growing concern over what the lack of snowpack and drought means for the upcoming summer wildfire season. There are also concerns over general water availability through the remainder of the year, and reservoir allocations going forward.

The month of April saw weather closer to that expected for the time of year. While temperatures did end up being, on average, warmer than normal, the departures were significantly less compared to the month of March. The mountains saw a few solid snowfalls during the month, as well as some precipitation across the lower elevations. Areas north of I-70 generally fared the best. Locations in this region did see some improvement in drought conditions. Areas south of I-70 generally remained the same or worsened slightly.