Drought has always been part of Colorado’s climate, but conditions entering 2021 reinforced an important lesson for Highlands Ranch Water, preparing for drought requires more than reacting when water supplies become stressed.

At the beginning of 2021, Colorado was in the second year of drought. South Platte Basin snowpack was at 75% of normal, Highlands Ranch had received just eight inches of precipitation in 2020 compared with a normal 14 inches, and the district entered the year with historically low reservoir storage. Customer water use had also increased significantly during portions of 2020.

Those conditions prompted the district to develop a formal Drought Response Plan.

A 12-person staff workgroup began developing the plan, researching approaches used by other Colorado water providers and coordinating with stakeholders.

The plan established stages tied to drought severity and water-use reduction goals, with measures becoming progressively stronger as conditions worsen. Responses range from increased awareness and voluntary conservation to mandatory watering restrictions.

The plan also identified tools to reduce demand when necessary, including drought pricing, giving the Board of Directors options based on water supply conditions and the level of conservation needed.

Five years later, the plan is put to work again

The value of that planning became evident this year.

Following months of warm, dry weather, below-normal snowpack and increased water demand, the district’s Board of Directors declared a Drought Watch in February, the first step in the Drought Response Plan.

As dry conditions continued, the Board moved to Stage 1 drought restrictions in March, establishing a goal of reducing water use by 15–20% and limiting outdoor irrigation to two days per week. The Board initially chose not to enact drought rates, but as conditions continued, drought pricing was added as another conservation tool.

Those decisions demonstrate exactly why the work completed in 2021 was important. Rather than developing a response in the middle of a water supply challenge, Highlands Ranch Water entered 2026 with an established framework for evaluating conditions, reducing demand and taking increasingly stronger action when necessary.

The Drought Response Plan developed in 2021 was an investment in that long-term reliability. Five years later, it once again provided a roadmap for making difficult decisions today while looking ahead, helping protect stored water supplies and supporting the district’s long-term goal of relying primarily on renewable surface water.