Dolores County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Dolores County, Colorado (FIPS 08033), 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 | 96.2% | 100% |
| D2 Severe drought or worse | 64.7% | 64.7% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 0% | 0.4% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 0% | 0% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Dolores County is in D2 severe drought: 64.7% of its area is in severe drought or worse, conditions around the 5th–10th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 3.8% D0, 31.5% D1 and 64.7% D2. About 690 of its 1,067 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D2, with the same share in D2 or worse (64.7%).
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 75.2% (Sep 8, 2026), 72.9% (Sep 15, 2026), 64.7% (Sep 22, 2026) and 64.7% (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
Dolores County lies in Division 7, the San Juan/Dolores basin. Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Dolores River at Dolores (18 mi), Lost Canyon Creek near Dolores (20 mi), Dolores River below Rico (25 mi) and San Miguel River near Placerville (30 mi).
Nearby counties this week: San Miguel County (D2, D2+ 38.2%), Montezuma County (D2, D2+ 89.8%), San Juan County (D1, D2+ 2.8%) and La Plata County (D2, D2+ 5.9%).