Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District (PAWSD) continues to urge customers to conserve water during drought conditions.
Hatcher Reservoir has dropped 5” over the last week. Flow in the San Juan River continues to slowly drop. Current flow is 445 cfs, compared to the median of 1,455 cfs. Last year’s flow on this date was 718 cfs.
The National Integrated Drought Information System has placed our area into a Severe Drought.
Stage 1 limits irrigation between the hours of 6:00pm and 9:00am and a tier rate multiplier will be applied to flows above 5,000 gallons of water per billing cycle for residential users.
In our area, it’s most effective to irrigate between evening and early morning because the cooler, calmer conditions allow water to soak into the soil instead of being lost to the sun and wind. During the day, high temperatures, low humidity, and frequent afternoon winds drive up evapotranspiration, meaning much of the sprayed water evaporates or drifts away before it can benefit plants. By irrigating during the evening and early morning hours, more water reaches the root zone, coverage is more uniform, and plants are better able to absorb moisture, making the process both more efficient and healthier for vegetation.
The District greatly appreciates everyone’s continued diligence in conserving water. If you have any questions regarding the current Drought Management Plan, it can be found on the website at https://www.pawsd.org/water-service/water-conservation/