Eagle Water Restrictions 2026
Eagle County · Colorado
Published:
Restrictions Active - Stage 3 Drought - Most Severe Active in Colorado
2
Days/Week
Midnight – 8:00 a.m.
Allowed Hours
$250 first offense / $500 repeat
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
Enter the last digit of your street address:
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| Address Ending | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| Odd addresses | Wednesday & Saturday |
| Even addresses | Thursday & Sunday |
Allowed Watering Hours
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District escalated to Stage 3 drought restrictions, the most severe drought stage currently active in Colorado. Watering is limited to 2 days per week and ONLY between midnight–8am or 8pm–midnight. Eagle River District recommends letting lawns go dormant rather than watering. Vail Valley snowpack was among the worst on record in winter 2026, leaving the Eagle River at critically low levels. Monitor erwsd.org for weekly updates.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Any time during midnight–8am or 8pm–midnight window only.
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
$250 first offense / $500 repeat
Stage 3 enforcement is active. First violation: $250. Repeat violations: $500. Eagle River District tracks all customer meter usage, off-schedule watering is detected automatically.
Citations begin April 22, 2026🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Colorado law (HB 21-1229) prohibits HOAs from requiring cool-season turf or penalizing homeowners for drought-tolerant landscaping.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
Mountain communities in the Vail Valley are hit hardest by the 2026 snowpack deficit. The Eagle River supplies Vail Valley resorts and residential areas entirely from mountain runoff, there is no groundwater backup at scale. Stage 3 is the most restrictive designation in the ERWSD system, declared in April 2026 after the South Platte and Colorado River basin snowpacks both hit record lows. The midnight–8am watering window is the tightest allowed-hours rule in the Rocky Mountain region.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Eagle area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Eagle Water Restrictions
5 tips tailored for Eagle homeowners during Stage 3 Drought - Most Severe Active in Colorado restrictions.
Water between midnight and 6am for maximum soil absorption, wind and evaporation are lowest then.
Odd: Wed + Sat; Even: Thu + Sun. All other days and hours prohibited for in-ground systems.
High-elevation Vail Valley KBG lawns brown quickly under Stage 3, prioritize trees and shrubs over turf.
Consider xeriscape conversion, native mountain plants like Blue Flax and Columbine thrive here with no irrigation.
ERWSD offers free water audits, request one to identify leaks and inefficient heads.
Eagle Water Restriction FAQs
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