Drought Resources

What is drought? Drought is a shortage of water associated with a lack of precipitation. It occurs when a normal amount of moisture is unavailable to satisfy an area’s usual water consumption. Drought can appear slowly and last for many years or it can be a short-lived event, although both can have significant impacts. It also can occur locally, regionally or statewide. Drought impacts on society result from the interplay between a natural event, demands for water supply and the economic and environmental impacts that can result. In Colorado, 80 percent of our surface water supplies come from melting snowpack. A definition of drought for Colorado is “A period of insufficient precipitation, snowpack and reservoir storage to provide adequate water to urban and rural areas.”