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Colorado River District warns of near-record low snowpack; Grand County urged to follow supply-driven approaches
Summary
Frank Richard, Grand County’s Colorado River District representative, reported near-record low snow-water equivalents in many headwater basins, described reservoir storage status (Green Mountain ~60% of average, Wolford ~97%), and cautioned the board that interstate negotiations and drought could prompt difficult operational decisions affecting Upper Basin supplies.
Frank Richard, Grand County’s representative to the Colorado River District, provided an in-depth state-of-river briefing, saying that snow-water-equivalent readings for much of the Upper Colorado Basin remained low compared with historical medians and that runoff efficiency may be degraded due to drier soils. "Following a severely dry water year 2025, flows in Colorado River headwaters have remained dismal, going into the water year 2026," Richard said, and noted Green Mountain Reservoir is about 60% of average storage while Wolford Mountain is at roughly 97%.
Richard walked commissioners through reservoir release histories and potential negotiation pressures at the interstate level, urging supply-driven approaches and attendance at the River District’s May State of the River event. He also summarized the River District’s community funding program, which has awarded about $32 million and leveraged nearly $100 million in outside funds for local water and infrastructure projects.
