UPDATED DEC. 16, 2025

As of the latest release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, updated Thursday, Dec. 11, Highlands Ranch Water’s service area is experiencing severe drought conditions. These maps will continue to guide our local drought reporting throughout the season. We will update this news story each week after the updated Drought Monitor is released so residents can see the latest conditions in our community.

Drought is a normal part of Colorado’s climate, but it tends to be a slow-moving hazard, which can make it easy to underestimate. Drought can impact agriculture, domestic water supplies, energy production, public health, wildlife, and it can contribute to wildfire risk, etc.

What is the U.S. Drought Monitor?

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a collaborative effort by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The USDM is a national drought map that shows the location and intensity of drought across the U.S. and its territories, and it is released/updated every Thursday. The map uses six classifications: normal or wet conditions (none), abnormally dry (D0), and four levels of drought: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). To produce a national drought map each week, meteorologists and climatologists integrate data from several sources including precipitation, streamflow, reservoir levels, temperature and evaporative demand, soil moisture and vegetation health.

Reminder about winter watering

Even in the winter, landscapes and trees can get stressed by dry soil and lack of moisture. Winter watering is important to help maintain root health, especially during prolonged dry periods. Highlands Ranch Water offers winter watering tips and guidance to help you care for your trees and shrubs throughout the colder months.