Mesa County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Mesa County, Colorado (FIPS 08077), 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 | 96.9% | 97.3% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 83.1% | 83.1% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 0% | 0% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Mesa County is in D3 extreme drought: 83.1% of its area is in extreme drought or worse, conditions around the 2nd–5th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 3.1% D1, 13.8% D2 and 83.1% D3. About 3,226 of its 3,329 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 97.3% to 96.9%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 100% (Sep 8, 2026), 100% (Sep 15, 2026), 97.3% (Sep 22, 2026) and 96.9% (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
Mesa County lies mostly in Division 5, the Colorado River basin, and partly in Division 4 (Gunnison basin). Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Gunnison River near Grand Junction (3 mi), Colorado River above Gunnison River at Grand Junction (6 mi), Colorado River below Grand Valley Diversion near Palisade (7 mi) and Plateau Creek near Cameo (14 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Delta County (D3, D2+ 82.7%), Montrose County (D2, D2+ 32.4%), Garfield County (D3, D2+ 100%) and Rio Blanco County (D3, D2+ 99.2%).