San Miguel County drought today
The U.S. Drought Monitor's category for San Miguel County, Colorado (FIPS 08113), 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 | 38.2% | 38.2% |
| 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 Miguel County is in D2 severe drought: 38.2% of its area is in severe drought or worse, conditions around the 5th–10th percentile of the record.
By category alone this week: 61.7% D1 and 38.2% D2. About 492 of its 1,287 square miles are in D2 or worse.
Against the map of Sep 22, 2026, the category is unchanged at D2, with the same share in D2 or worse (38.2%).
D2 or worse on the last 4 maps: 64.5% (Sep 8, 2026), 39.7% (Sep 15, 2026), 38.2% (Sep 22, 2026) and 38.2% (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 Miguel County lies mostly in Division 4, the Gunnison basin, and partly in Division 7 (San Juan/Dolores 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), San Miguel River near Placerville (17 mi), Dolores River near Slick Rock (26 mi) and San Miguel River at Uravan (29 mi).
Nearby counties this week: Dolores County (D2, D2+ 64.7%), Montrose County (D2, D2+ 32.4%), Ouray County (D1, D2+ 2%) and San Juan County (D1, D2+ 2.8%).