Weld County Water Intelligence Brief

September 14, 2026 | Water Division 1 | South Platte Basin

Situation Summary

Cache la Poudre River flows are rising at both the Fort Collins and Timnath gauges this morning, while the South Platte mainstem at Fort Lupton is falling — a split signal that reflects different supply trajectories across Weld County's two-river system as the irrigation season enters its final weeks. With late-season demand still active for sugar beets and field corn, C-BT allotment holders and direct-flow irrigators should monitor delivery reliability closely as mainstem flows trend downward. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All three SNOTEL stations monitoring the Cache la Poudre headwaters are reporting 0.0" snow water equivalent (SWE) and 0.0" snow depth as of September 13, 2026:

For this point in the calendar, a reading of 0.0" SWE is the normal seasonal condition — no percent-of-median figure is shown because the historical median for mid-September is also at or near zero. These stations are not signaling a below-normal anomaly today. The relevant 2026 snowpack story is timing: all three stations melted out approximately 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave. That early meltout accelerated the seasonal runoff pulse and compressed the period of snowmelt-supported streamflow — a condition that is now background context rather than an active supply variable. South Platte basin headwaters (Blue River corridor, upper Platte canyons) are not directly monitored by these three stations and represent an additional upstream variable for Weld County mainstem users.

Streamflow Conditions

Cache la Poudre River — Rising

Both Poudre gauges are showing a rising trend this morning. The Timnath gauge is the closest active monitoring point to where the Poudre enters Weld County from Larimer County, and its reading of 10 cfs rising is the most direct indicator of what northern Weld County Poudre-dependent irrigators and canal companies can expect in the near term. At these flow levels, direct-flow availability for junior Poudre right holders remains limited; the rising trend warrants monitoring but does not indicate a significant supply improvement at this stage of the season.

South Platte River Mainstem — Falling

The South Platte at Fort Lupton is recording 66 cfs on a falling trend. This is the primary mainstem indicator for Weld County irrigators drawing from the South Platte system. A falling signal in mid-September — with no snowmelt recharge remaining — places heightened pressure on junior direct-flow right holders and on augmentation plan obligations for well users. Senior downstream rights may increasingly call on the river as mainstem flows decline. The return-flow dynamics on the lower South Platte add complexity: upstream irrigation efficiencies and reduced diversions can reduce the return flows that senior downstream rights depend upon, a characteristic of Water Division 1 administration that irrigators should factor into late-season planning.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through September 13, 2026; USGS streamflow data through September 14, 2026

Data Current As Of: September 14, 2026 | Colorado Division of Water Resources

Important Disclaimers: This brief provides automated analysis for informational purposes only. Specific numerical claims have not been independently verified. Consult official sources including your local water district, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water — administers C-BT Project; Horsetooth Reservoir data via Northern Water portal at northernwater.org or USBR HydroMet site HRT), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Eastern Colorado Area Office (Loveland, CO), and Colorado Division of Water Resources Water Division 1 (Greeley office) for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.