Water Intelligence Brief · Archive

Weld County, CO

October 12, 2026

Weld County Water Intelligence Brief

October 12, 2026 | Water Division 1 | South Platte Basin

*Free-Tier Brief*

Situation Summary

South Platte River flows at Fort Lupton are running at 145 cfs (stable) and Cache la Poudre flows are at 14 cfs (rising) at both the Fort Collins and Timnath gauges, reflecting typical early-October conditions as the primary irrigation season closes across Weld County. For C-BT allotment holders and direct-flow irrigators, the immediate question shifts from in-season delivery management to late-season augmentation plan compliance and winter carry-over supply positioning. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All three SNOTEL stations in the Cache la Poudre headwaters are reporting conditions consistent with normal seasonal meltout for mid-October:

  • Deadman Hill (10/11): SWE 0.1" — 16% of the 0.6" median for this date; snow depth 0.0"
  • Hourglass Lake (10/11): SWE 0.0" — median for this date is also 0.0"; snow depth 0.0"
  • Joe Wright (10/11): SWE 0.2" — 50% of the 0.4" median for this date; snow depth 0.0"

    • Hourglass Lake is at its normal seasonal condition for this point in the calendar. Joe Wright and Deadman Hill show modest early-season accumulation, though Deadman Hill trails its median. The critical 2026 snowpack story is timing: these stations melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by the anomalous March heat wave — a factor that shaped the entire irrigation season's supply trajectory. Note that these three stations monitor the Cache la Poudre headwaters only; South Platte basin headwaters snowpack (upper Platte canyons, Blue River) is an additional upstream variable not captured here.

    Streamflow Conditions

    Cache la Poudre River: Both active Poudre gauges are reporting 14 cfs with a rising trend:

  • Fort Collins gauge (10/12): 14 cfs, rising
  • Above Boxelder Creek near Timnath (10/12): 14 cfs, rising

    • The Timnath gauge is the closest active monitoring point to where the Poudre enters Weld County, and its readings directly reflect delivery availability for northern Weld County users served by Poudre-affiliated canal companies. At 14 cfs, flows are modest but the rising signal warrants monitoring as early-season precipitation events can produce brief pulses on the lower Poudre.

    South Platte River: The Fort Lupton gauge is reporting 145 cfs (stable) as of October 12. This gauge is the primary South Platte mainstem indicator for Weld County and reflects composite flows from upstream tributaries, municipal return flows, and any residual irrigation drainage entering the system. Stable conditions at 145 cfs suggest the mainstem is holding without significant late-season decline at this time.

    Seasonal Guidance

  • Contact Northern Water (northernwater.org) to verify current C-BT allotment delivery status and Horsetooth Reservoir storage ahead of the end-of-season accounting period.
  • Check with Colorado Division of Water Resources, Water Division 1 (Greeley office) for current call status on both the South Platte and Cache la Poudre systems before any additional well or diversion activity.
  • Confirm augmentation plan compliance obligations with your legal or engineering representative if operating non-pre-1969 decreed wells — Water Division 1 administers some of the most complex augmentation requirements in Colorado.
  • Contact your canal company office (Cache la Poudre Irrigating Canal Company, Water Supply and Storage Company, North Poudre Irrigation Company, or your respective ditch company) to confirm end-of-season delivery schedules and any residual allotment balances.

    • Subscribe for the full brief including reservoir storage, weather forecasts, depletion analysis, and detailed operational recommendations.

    Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 11, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 12, 2026

    Data Current As Of: October 12, 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 — northernwater.org; Horsetooth Reservoir storage data via Northern Water portal 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.

    Data & Disclaimers

    Sources: NRCS SNOTEL network · USGS National Water Information System · National Weather Service

    This brief provides automated analysis for informational purposes only. Consult official sources including your local water district and state Division of Water Rights for regulatory decisions. This document does not constitute legal, regulatory, or engineering advice.

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