Golden will join the growing number of metro Denver communities enacting drought restrictions in the wake of a record-low snowpack in the Colorado mountains, city officials said Wednesday.
The city declared the first stage of drought restrictions, effective May 1, based on snowpack, below-average stream flows and forecast reservoir levels, officials said in a news release.
“While Golden’s reservoir levels are currently near full, proactive reduction is necessary to preserve storage capacity in the event of a prolonged drought,” city leaders said in a statement. “Current indicators show a concerning trend that necessitates action to protect our water supply for essential needs.”
Golden’s drought restrictions include no daytime watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., fixing leaks within 10 days, no water runoff or pooling from irrigation and no sprinkler overspray onto sidewalks and streets.
Some watering is still allowed at any time, including hand-watering trees, gardens and plants using a hose with an automatic shutoff or a watering can; and drip irrigation for trees, shrubs and nonturf gardens.
Residents and businesses who don’t follow the restrictions will receive a warning, followed by escalating water service charges or penalties, city officials said. The worst offenders could face fines up to $1,000 or have their water shut off.
Denver’s Board of Water Commissioners enacted similar drought restrictions in late March, followed this week by Aurora and Arvada announcing limits on outdoor watering.
Thornton was the first large water provider to enact water restrictions in mid-March, and other cities declared less-restrictive “drought watches.”
Colorado’s snowpack is about a quarter of where it normally is, and federal officials said in early April that the state is seeing the worst snowpack since record keeping began in 1941.
The entire state of Colorado is now considered to be in a drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, with the majority of the state classified as being in a severe, extreme or exceptional drought.
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