Morrison CO Water Restrictions 2026
Published:
Jefferson County· Colorado
The Town of Morrison has limited outdoor watering to no more than 2 days per week as part of its 2026 drought response. Morrison sits at the mouth of Bear Creek Canyon in Jefferson County and runs its own small municipal water system drawing from Bear Creek and local groundwater — not Denver Water. Like every Front Range community, Morrison depends heavily on South Platte Basin snowpack, which hit the worst on record for the 2025–26 winter at 42% of normal. Morrison’s small permanent population of roughly 450 residents swells dramatically in summer with tourism to Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Dinosaur Ridge, making conservation by permanent residents especially important.
Current Status
Morrison’s Town Council has capped outdoor watering at 2 days per week with the standard 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. blackout. The Council has not yet published a specific address-based day schedule — residents should check morrisonco.us or call Town Hall at 303-697-8749 to confirm their assigned watering days. Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle and drip irrigation follow the same exemptions as other Colorado cities: hand watering allowed any day during permitted hours, drip exempt from the day-of-week cap. Morrison’s small water system has limited storage capacity compared to larger Front Range utilities, which is why the town moved early to 2 days per week rather than waiting.
Watering Schedule by Address
Morrison has not yet published an official address-based schedule. The structure below is a sensible default based on the 2-day cap and common Colorado practice. Confirm your specific days by calling Town Hall at 303-697-8749 or checking morrisonco.us before programming your controller.
| Group | Watering Days |
|---|---|
| Even addresses (suggested) | Tuesday & Saturday |
| Odd addresses (suggested) | Wednesday & Sunday |
Morrison’s Town Council has limited outdoor watering to no more than 2 days per week but has not published a specific address-based schedule. Residents should check morrisonco.us for official day assignments, or contact Town Hall at 303-697-8749 to confirm your assigned watering days.
What’s Restricted Beyond Lawn Watering
Morrison’s 2-day restriction targets outdoor water use generally. Hand watering with a can or shut-off nozzle is exempt for trees, shrubs, vegetable gardens, and flower beds. Drip irrigation follows the standard Colorado exemption — not subject to the day-of-week cap but must still follow the 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. blackout. Residents are asked to avoid car washing at home unless using a shut-off hose, and to report visible water waste or running water in gutters to Town Hall.
Fines and Enforcement
Enforcement is handled by Town of Morrison staff, who respond to complaints and patrol visibly. Penalties for violations are outlined in the town’s ordinance — contact Town Hall at 303-697-8749 or morrisonco.us for the current fine schedule. As with other small Colorado water systems, the town’s early enforcement posture is education-first, with escalating penalties for repeat offenders.
HOA Protection in Morrison
Colorado law (HB 21-1229) prohibits HOAs from requiring water-intensive landscaping, mandating cool-season turf, or penalizing homeowners for xeriscaping or drought-tolerant landscaping. The statute goes further than most US states by actively protecting homeowners who convert their lawns to drought-tolerant alternatives, even outside of declared drought periods. Combined with the City of Denver's public statement that brown lawns are expected during active restrictions, any HOA fine threatened against a brown lawn caused by following local restrictions is on weak legal ground. Keep a copy of your utility's restriction notice and the relevant city ordinance to share with your HOA board if a violation notice arrives.
Lawn Survival Guide for Morrison
Morrison’s dominant lawn grass is Kentucky Bluegrass (KBG), which goes fully brown under a 2-day schedule. Brown KBG is dormant, not dead — the crown survives and the lawn recovers in fall when temperatures cool and watering resumes. Use the tug test to confirm dormancy before assuming your lawn is dead.
- KBG will go fully brown under 2-day restrictions — this is dormancy, not death.
- Space your 2 allowed days 3–4 days apart (e.g. Tue and Sat) for best root-zone moisture.
- Morrison’s canyon location shades north-facing slopes in the morning — those areas need less water than south-facing spots.
- Red Rocks visitors: the amphitheatre is outside town water service. Morrison residential addresses are inside the restriction zone.
- Water deeply (½ inch per session) — shallow watering produces shallow roots that fail first in a worse scenario.
- Mow at 3.5–4 inches to shade soil on Morrison’s thin, rocky mountain-edge soils.
- Call Town Hall (303-697-8749) to confirm your specific watering days — Morrison has not published a formal address schedule.
- Small mountain town caveat: Morrison has limited local irrigation contractor coverage for leak repairs. Inspect sprinkler heads, valves, and drip lines yourself before turning on the system, and budget extra lead time if you need professional repair help.
Will Restrictions Get Worse?
Morrison has not published a formal multi-stage drought response plan. If the 2-day limit proves insufficient as summer progresses, the Town Council may reduce watering to 1 day per week or impose additional restrictions on other outdoor water uses. With South Platte Basin snowpack at record lows and Morrison’s limited reservoir storage, residents should plan for the possibility of tighter restrictions through the summer. Monitor morrisonco.us for updates.
FAQs — Morrison Water Restrictions 2026
What are the current water restrictions in Morrison, CO?
Is Morrison on Denver Water?
What hours can I water in Morrison?
Can my Morrison HOA fine me for a brown lawn during restrictions?
What happens if Morrison escalates beyond the current 2-day limit?
Related Guides
Community Reports & Questions
Share an update, ask a question, or report a change in your local restrictions.
No community reports yet
Be the first to share a local update, ask a question, or report a change in your area's restrictions.