Las Animas County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Las Animas County, Colorado (FIPS 08071), 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 | 88.4% | 100% |
| D2 Severe drought or worse | 55.5% | 60.3% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 23.2% | 23.8% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 5.8% | 5.8% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Las Animas County is in D4 exceptional drought: 5.8% of its area is in exceptional drought or worse, conditions around the 0–2nd percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 11.6% D0, 32.9% D1, 32.3% D2, 17.3% D3 and 5.8% D4. About 2,649 of its 4,773 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 60.3% to 55.5%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 61.2% (Sep 8, 2026), 60.3% (Sep 15, 2026), 60.3% (Sep 22, 2026) and 55.5% (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
Las Animas 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: Van Bremer Arroyo near Model (5 mi), Purgatoire River near Thatcher (8 mi), Purgatoire River below Trinidad Lake (30 mi) and Purgatoire River at Rock Crossing near Timpas (32 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Otero County (D1, D2+ 3.9%), Huerfano County (D4, D2+ 100%), Pueblo County (D3, D2+ 57.9%) and Bent County (D1).