Chaffee County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Chaffee County, Colorado (FIPS 08015), the share of its area in each category, and what it means for water users.
Area by category
| Category | This week | Week before |
|---|---|---|
| No category No drought | 0% | 0% |
| D0 Abnormally dry or worse | 100% | 100% |
| D1 Moderate drought or worse | 100% | 100% |
| D2 Severe drought or worse | 100% | 100% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 100% | 100% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 77.9% | 77.9% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Chaffee County is in D4 exceptional drought: 77.9% of its area is in exceptional drought or worse, conditions around the 0–2nd percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 22.1% D3 and 77.9% D4. About 1,013 of its 1,013 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D4, with the same share in D2 or worse (100%).
The share in D2 or worse was the same, 100%, on all 4 maps from Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 29, 2026.
USDA uses the Monitor to trigger drought disaster designations; the county FSA office confirms what applies.
It is not water administration: calls on its streams depend on streamflow and priority, not on this category.
Where its water is administered
Chaffee County lies in Division 2, the Arkansas basin. Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Arkansas River near Nathrop (15 mi), Willow Creek above Taylor Park Reservoir (15 mi), Texas Creek at Taylor Park (16 mi) and Taylor River at Taylor Park (17 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Lake County (D4, D2+ 100%), Park County (D4, D2+ 100%), Gunnison County (D4, D2+ 99.7%) and Pitkin County (D4, D2+ 100%).