Fort Collins won’t have outdoor watering restrictions for now

All of Fort Collins is being spared from mandatory outdoor watering restrictions this spring, now that the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District has followed the lead of the city’s two other major water providers, which have asked for voluntary water-use reductions instead.

Like Fort Collins Utilities and East Larimer County Water District, the Fort Collins-Loveland Water District is asking residents to water no more than two days per week.

Fort Collins City Manager Kelly DiMartino issued a “water shortage watch” on May 1, which could be upgraded if conditions worsen or loosened if conditions improve.

The Fort Collins-Loveland Water District’s recommendation applies only to turf irrigation, not drip irrigation or watering trees and gardens, its website states.

The district said it was important for customers to know that its call for voluntary action doesn’t mean the district doesn’t have enough water to meet demand: “Our projected water supply meets our expected demands and annual year-end storage objectives,” a message on the website says.

The water district lists other best practices for customers to follow:

• Water between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m., when wind and evaporation are minimal.
• Divide the total watering time into two blocks with an hour in between so the soil can better absorb the water.
• Avoid overwatering new sod installations so the water does not run off onto the sidewalk and gutter. Set a calendar reminder two weeks after installation to set your sprinkler controller back to a normal two-day-per-week watering pattern. Don’t plant sod in June through August.

Fort Collins Utilities and ELCO are also asking residents to water no more than twice a week and to avoid watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. They recommend that customers:

• Wait to turn on the sprinkler system until the last projected frost date, typically in mid-May.
• Use a shutoff nozzle on hoses when hand watering or washing a vehicle.
• Don’t water when it’s rainy or windy.
• Don’t waste water by allowing sprinklers to spray on areas that aren’t landscaped, like sidewalks.

All three water districts have programs to help people reduce their water use. These can include sprinkler audits, sprinkler rebates or leak detection monitoring.

Check with each water provider to learn exactly what they offer:

Why isn’t Fort Collins under water restrictions when others are?

Across the Front Range, every individual water provider has its own unique portfolio of water sources and water rights.

Some have more senior water rights than others and some have more storage, and all of those differences will play into what kinds of water restrictions a district might enact.

All three water providers in Fort Collins get water from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, which brings water from the Western Slope to the Front Range for storage in Horsetooth Reservoir. They also get water from the Poudre River.

Northern Water announced earlier in April that Colorado-Big Thompson Project water share owners will get 80% of their full allotment this year.

That’s actually higher than last year. Because the water project is meant to supplement users’ supplies in low-water years, Northern Water makes more water available when demand is higher.

So, this year’s allotment of 80% exceeds the 70% allotment of the past few years.

As of May 4, Horsetooth Reservoir was about 89% full, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, after spring releases of last year’s snowpack from Lake Granby.

There are two other small water districts in Fort Collins. The West Fort Collins Water District is required to follow city-issued water rationing and restrictions, according to its website. Sunset Water District is managed by ELCO.