Montrose County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for Montrose County, Colorado (FIPS 08085), 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 | 32.4% | 62.7% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 0% | 0% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
Montrose County is in D2 severe drought: 32.4% of its area is in severe drought or worse, conditions around the 5th–10th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 67.7% D1, 30.2% D2 and 2.1% D3. About 725 of its 2,241 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D2, and the share in D2 or worse went from 62.7% to 32.4%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 97.2% (Sep 8, 2026), 92.3% (Sep 15, 2026), 62.7% (Sep 22, 2026) and 32.4% (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
Montrose County lies in Division 4, the Gunnison basin. Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: San Miguel River at Brooks Bridge near Nucla (17 mi), Loutsenhizer Arroyo at Highway 50 near Olathe (23 mi), Escalante Creek near Delta (24 mi) and San Miguel River at Uravan (24 mi).
Nearby counties this week: San Miguel County (D2, D2+ 38.2%), Ouray County (D1, D2+ 2%), Delta County (D3, D2+ 82.7%) and Mesa County (D3, D2+ 96.9%).