El Paso County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for El Paso County, Colorado (FIPS 08041), 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 | 4.8% | 0% |
| D0 Abnormally dry or worse | 95.2% | 100% |
| D1 Moderate drought or worse | 92.2% | 98.3% |
| D2 Severe drought or worse | 80.1% | 82.2% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 45% | 45% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 11.2% | 11.2% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
El Paso County is in D4 exceptional drought: 11.2% of its area is in exceptional drought or worse, conditions around the 0–2nd percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 2.9% D0, 12.2% D1, 35% D2, 33.9% D3 and 11.2% D4. About 1,702 of its 2,126 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D4, and the share in D2 or worse went from 82.2% to 80.1%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 89.6% (Sep 8, 2026), 89.6% (Sep 15, 2026), 82.2% (Sep 22, 2026) and 80.1% (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
El Paso County lies mostly in Division 2, the Arkansas basin, and partly in Division 1 (South Platte basin). Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Fountain Creek at Security (13 mi), Jimmy Camp Creek at Fountain (13 mi), Clover Ditch Drain near Widefield (14 mi) and Sand Creek above Mouth at Colorado Springs (14 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Teller County (D3, D2+ 100%), Elbert County (D1, D2+ 4.7%), Douglas County (D3, D2+ 90%) and Pueblo County (D3, D2+ 57.9%).