2026 Water Year Wrap Up Slides

Thanks to everyone who came out for this year's Second Annual Water Year Wrap Up.

Blue River Watershed Group held their second annual Water Year Wrap Up event at the Summit County Community Center. The event hosted speakers from the Department of Water Resources, Denver Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, and the Colorado Climate Center on impacts of this year's drought, what actions water districts put in place to conserve water, and weather outlooks for the upcoming water year. Colorado faced unprecedented challenges to its water system this year. Record high temperatures combined with low precipitation led to falling reservoir levels and residential drought restrictions across the state. The precipitation outlook is more favorable this year than last, but it’s still far from certain. Powerful El Niño conditions are forming in the western Pacific, which has historically led to higher than average precipitation in the west. However, the signal for Colorado is not as strong as in other states, current long term forecasts show equal chances for higher or lower precipitation across much of the state, with better chances likely in the San Juans and Southern Colorado. Rising temperatures have also complicated the picture. It’s possible that some of this precipitation will fall as rain rather than snow, which has significant implications for our water system, which relies heavily on water stored in the snowpack to reliably supply downstream water users

Speaker List: Second Annual Water Year Wrap Up

Troy Wineland is Summit County's Water Comissioner and he is a Colorado native who has dedicated his career to the study and practice of water resource management. He has served as the Water Commissioner for the Blue River Basin for 15 years, following a ten-year stint with the U.S. Forest Service.

When he is not safeguarding our most precious resource or enriching our community's water awareness, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, exploring the outdoors, cooking, and reading.

TOPIC:  Unprecedented, though unsurprising, events of water year 2026

Nick Harris is a Professional Engineer with over 15 years of experience in Colorado's water industry, spanning water operations, engineering, water rights administration, and resource planning. As a Water Resource Engineer with Colorado Springs Utilities, he works on water resource planning, water rights management, hydrologic analysis, watershed stewardship, and long-term supply strategy to support a reliable and resilient water portfolio.

TOPIC: He will be providing an overview of 2026 and forecasted operations for 2027 for our Continental Hoosier System (CHS) and provide a project update on plans for the Montgomery Reservoir enlargement. 

Nathan Elder is the Manager of Water Supply at Denver Water. He has extensive experience managing Colorado water systems and addressing complex water supply challenges. His expertise includes strategic planning, water rights administration, water supply operations, drought and shortage response, and stakeholder engagement. He is known for building collaborative teams, navigating uncertainty, and bringing diverse perspectives together to develop practical solutions. Nathan combines systems thinking, technical expertise, and strong communication skills to balance operational needs, environmental stewardship, and the interests of communities and stakeholders. He will be discussing Dillon Reservoir 2026 Operations, along with 2027 forecasts and Denver Water Drought Response.

TOPIC: He will be discussing Dillon Reservoir 2026 Operations along with 2027 forecasts and Denver Water Drought Response.

Tyler Benton is a native Coloradan with roots in eastern Colorado. He serves as the Division Engineer for Division 5 of the Colorado Division of Water Resources. In this role he oversees water administration and management within the Colorado River Basin extending from the continental divide near Grand Lake to the Utah state border. Prior to his appointment, he worked as a senior water resource engineer focusing on Colorado water rights and regional water management strategies. Tyler holds a Bachelor's of Science in Geological Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Peter Goble received his B.S. in meteorology from the University of Northern Colorado and his M.S. in atmospheric science from Colorado State University. He is now the Colorado Assistant State Climatologist. He specializes in climate variability and drought. Recent projects include investigating the sources of error in western Colorado water supply forecasts, determining areas of Colorado most suitable for expansion of the wine grape industry, and increasing both observational and modeled soil moisture monitoring efforts in Colorado. Peter lives in Berthoud and enjoys spending time with his wife and toddler.

TOPIC: Seasonal forecast and El Nino

Additional resources: Water allocation and reservoir maps

Thursday October 16th, 2025 at the Frisco Community Center

general EVENT SCHEDULE

Become a sponsor