The sources for Denver Water’s supply are taking a big hit due to the ongoing drought. Its reservoirs are at 75% of capacity, which is down more than 20% from normal at the end of July.

According to Denver Water:

• Dillon Reservoir in Summit County is Denver Water’s largest reservoir and is down about 20 feet; it’s also expected to drop up to 10 feet more by Labor Day
• Williams Fork Reservoir near Kremmling is about 1/3 full. By the end of summer, the dam’s hydro turbines may not be able to produce hydropower
• Antero Reservoir near Fairplay, which is considered an emergency drought storage reservoir, is dry after water was transferred out of it in spring

Nathan Elder, the manager of water supply with Denver Water, says the utility company is dealing with its second lowest reservoir storage on record. It’s the lowest the reservoir levels have been since the 2003-2003 drought.

“It’s a big concern to see reservoir levels only 75% full at this time of year, and they’re going to continue to drop. Going into next spring, we think we’ll be about 60% to 62% full,” Elder said. “We’re certainly hoping for a better snowpack, but there’s no guarantee.”

Elder says it’s not a situation that will improve in one season. He added it would take 150% of the normal snowpack to see a turnaround and improvement. Elder said a large snowpack like that has not happened since the 1990s.

“I think given where we’re looking at our reservoir storage to be next year, it’s definitely going to be a concern over the winter and going into next spring,” Elder said. “This drought is not likely to be a quick recovery, and it’s going to take multiple years to fully recover.”

Elder said, due to the reservoir levels, abiding by water restrictions is very important. As Denver Water is looking to reduce water usage by 20%, the city put watering restrictions in place earlier this year for homeowners and businesses. The city also asked restaurants to, “serve water only upon request.”

Carrie Baird, the chef-owner at Bar Dough, said restaurants made several changes to save and conserve water. That included no longer using a drip defrost method to defrost food. The restaurant has also ensured the dishwasher is full before running and making sure all faucets are off.

“We’re not just serving water to any guest who comes in; we ask,” Baird said. “We’ve really tried to pivot to imported water, bubbly water from Italy. Especially here at Bar Dough, it goes over pretty well. So we’re trying to not tap the Colorado sources as hard as we normally do.”

Baird also makes sure tap water doesn’t go to waste. She repurposed the water for the vegetable garden outside of Bar Dough and Fox and the Hen, which she is also the chef-owner of.

“This is a pitcher of water left over from last night’s service, and I just come out here and I have this wall of cucumbers. So every morning I just grab whatever is left over and go for it,” Baird said.

While it’s uncertain what winter will bring, what is certain is what Denver Water is asking customers. Elder says every bit of conversation helps.

“That’s really why we need people to conserve,” Elder said. “Follow the watering restrictions that are in place, those two-day-a-week watering restrictions now, so that next year we can set ourselves up in a better position. We’re serving 1.5 million people, and if everybody does a little bit, we can really again help our reservoir storage out and be in a better place going into runoff in 2027.”

Denver Water has seen a reduction in water usage by about 5% since putting the restrictions in place.

“We’re members of this community too, so it’s important that we do our part, and it’s just the little things add up,” Baird said.

A man died in a Colorado reservoir Thursday after his kayak flipped amid high winds.

They might not be the only young players that could fight their way onto the roster. Forward Fabian Lysell, 23, was acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins on June 27. The first-round pick (No. 21) in the 2021 NHL Draft will get a long look during training camp after spending most of the past four seasons with Providence of the AHL; he had 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 57 AHL games last season.

Forwards Gavin Brindley (21), Matthew DiMarsico (22) and Nikita Prishchepov (22), defensemen Sean Behrens (23) and Alex Gagne (23), and goalie Ilya Nabokov (23) all could have chances at playing time.

“We feel we’ve got some really good young guys, prospects that are ready to get some opportunities and get some games, so we want to give those guys every opportunity,” Sakic said.

The Avalanche also traded forward Valeri Nichushkin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, a third-round pick in the 2027 draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. The move also subtracted the final four seasons of Nichushkin’s eight-year contract.

The savings from trading Nichushkin, Colton and Drury allowed the Avalanche to keep their defense intact by signing Brett Kulak to a five-year contract and Brent Burns to a one-year deal on June 26.

They also signed forward Jaden Schwartz to a three-year contract July 1. The 34-year-old had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 50 games with the Seattle Kraken last season and is a six-time 20-goal scorer and a Stanley Cup champion (St. Louis Blues, 2019).

“We thought Jaden Schwartz would be a great fit offensively, a top-nine role, kind of go anywhere in the lineup, gives us depth,” Sakic said. “Brings that championship pedigree, great guy, kind of fits our identity and the way we like to play. Competitor, great in the dressing room, works extremely hard off the ice.”

There still is some work for the Avalanche to do, including new contracts for defenseman Cale Makar and coach Jared Bednar, each of whom is unsigned beyond this season.

But as far as further significant changes, Sakic feels the roster the Avalanche have now, one that includes full seasons with trade deadline acquisitions Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy, a defense that helped allow an NHL-low 197 goals last season, room for an influx of youth and a bit of salary cap space, is good enough to get them where they want to be.

“We could panic and try and blow everything up and start all over,” Sakic said. “But this team, what they’ve done over the course of the year, was pretty remarkable. I want to give them an opportunity to try and do it again. The last two trade deadlines were meant for not just that year, it was to try and compete for a few years with this group and try and bring home the Stanley Cup. That’s the goal.”