Drought update and resources from CSU Extension

The western United States is in a drought. July was the hottest month ever recorded in the country. The Colorado State University Extension office is one of Mesa County’s partner agencies in water and ecology issues. 

Much of the water in the Grand Valley is dependent on snow on the Grand Mesa. Snowpack from the last two winters has been below average, and in February 2026, it was less than half of the normal amount.

Jeff Pieper, an Area Specialist at CSU Extension, talks about the snowpack and shares general resources for people dealing with the drought in the following video.

There are things individual residents can do to help conserve water during drought.

Kentucky bluegrass, a common grass for residential lawns, needs more water than rain alone will ever provide in western Colorado. Irrigation is used as a supplement to maintain green yards, just like it’s used by fruit growers and other agricultural producers.

“In Mesa County, we have to kind of decide, is your yard more important than having the fresh fruits and vegetables that many of our agricultural producers provide?” said Pieper.

Using low-water plants and xeriscape designs is a way to make a difference.

Residents may be interested in converting their traditional turf lawns to landscaping that uses less water. CSU’s Lawn Conversion Resources page has guides for each step of that process.

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