San Juan County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for San Juan County, Colorado (FIPS 08111), 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 | 65.1% | 100% |
| D2 Severe drought or worse | 2.8% | 20.4% |
| D3 Extreme drought or worse | 0% | 0% |
| D4 Exceptional drought | 0% | 0% |
Cumulative, as the Monitor reports them: each row includes the rows below it.
What it means for water users
San Juan County is in D1 moderate drought: 65.1% of its area is in moderate drought or worse, conditions around the 10th–20th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 34.9% D0, 62.4% D1 and 2.8% D2. About 11 of its 388 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category improved from D2 to D1, and the share in D2 or worse went from 20.4% to 2.8%.
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 68% (Sep 8, 2026), 56.9% (Sep 15, 2026), 20.4% (Sep 22, 2026) and 2.8% (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
San Juan County lies mostly in Division 7, the San Juan/Dolores basin, and partly in Division 3 (Rio Grande basin). Water there is administered by priority: see the basin's active calls and snowpack.
Nearby
Nearest stream gauges: Animas River below Silverton (1 mi), Mineral Creek at Silverton (2 mi), Animas River at Silverton (2 mi) and Cement Creek at Silverton (3 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Hinsdale County (D3, D2+ 66.8%), Ouray County (D1, D2+ 2%), La Plata County (D2, D2+ 5.9%) and Mineral County (D3, D2+ 71.2%).