Hinsdale County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Hinsdale County, Colorado (FIPS 08053), 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 | 66.8% | 98.6% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 9.8% | 50.9% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 0% | <0.1% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Hinsdale County is in D3 extreme drought: 9.8% of its area is in extreme drought or worse, conditions around the 2nd–5th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 33.2% D1, 57% D2 and 9.8% D3. About 746 of its 1,117 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D3, and the share in D2 or worse went from 98.6% to 66.8%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 100% (Sep 8, 2026), 100% (Sep 15, 2026), 98.6% (Sep 22, 2026) and 66.8% (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
Hinsdale County lies mostly in Division 4, the Gunnison basin, and partly in Division 3 (Rio Grande basin) and Division 7 (San Juan/Dolores basin). Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Lake Fork below Lake San Cristobal near Lake City (9 mi), Henson Creek at Lake City (11 mi), Animas River at Silverton (17 mi) and Cement Creek at Silverton (17 mi).
Nearby counties this week: San Juan County (D1, D2+ 2.8%), Mineral County (D3, D2+ 71.2%), Ouray County (D1, D2+ 2%) and La Plata County (D2, D2+ 5.9%).