"I know I see a lot of brown lawns, including my own. It looks terrible, but it is what it is." Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson said that at the August 18 city council meeting, while thanking residents for cutting back on water. Since then the lawns have stopped getting any water at all. The city's drought alert now says that lawn watering ended on October 1.
Most coverage calls this a seasonal shutoff. It works more like a lease term. Arvada's lawn rules depend on decisions made by another utility's board, so the date sprinklers come back in Arvada probably won't be set at City Hall. What Arvada's written rules still allow this winter covers the part of the yard that takes longest to replace, which is the trees.
The clause that sets the cutoff
About 75% of Arvada's water comes from Denver Water's North System. The other 25% comes from city water rights in the Clear Creek and Ralston Creek basins, which fill Arvada and Ralston reservoirs. Arvada's own storage was in fair shape this year. In February, Arvada Reservoir held about 5,000 acre-feet, a little under the typical 5,500 for that time of year. That 25%, though, doesn't decide the rules. The larger share comes with conditions, and the city's administrative rules spell them out:
"Under the Contract, Arvada must follow Denver Water's efforts to conserve water, which means Arvada must implement the same or stricter water restrictions declared by the Denver Water Board of Water Commissioners."
The contract dates to 1965. Denver Water's board amended its Stage 1 drought resolution on August 26, 2026, to ban lawn watering and all spray irrigation starting October 1. The Colorado Sun called it the first October 1 cutoff of this kind for Denver Water customers. In its September 28 update, Denver Water said the ban stays in place until the board decides how and when lawn watering can resume, which means sprinklers stay off in spring 2027 unless the board acts.
Denver Water's numbers explain the decision. Snowpack in the South Platte River Basin peaked March 17 at 42% of normal, the lowest peak on record. As of September 28, Denver Water's reservoirs were 67% full, compared with an average of 91% for that date.
Arvada's own timeline differs from Denver Water's, and it helps to keep them separate. The Arvada City Council declared a drought on March 24, a day before Denver Water's board acted. Arvada's rules quote Denver Water's declaration as running "through April 30, 2027 or until further notice." The city has not published a statement on spring 2027 lawn watering. Arvada's written rules, in effect since April 15, still list the two-day grass schedule and give no October stop date. The October 1 cutoff appears in the city's alert, not in that document. Because of the contract, though, Arvada's rules can't be looser than Denver Water's, so it makes sense to read the alert as the rule in force.
What the hose can still reach
Arvada's written rules treat lawns and plants as separate categories. Under the Stage 1 rules, trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables can be watered any day with a handheld hose or low-volume, non-spray irrigation, but not between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Those rules set no seasonal cutoff for any of these plants.
| Part of the yard | Status after Oct. 1 | Method | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn | Watering ended per city alert | None | None |
| Trees and shrubs | Allowed any day | Handheld hose or drip | Outside 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Perennials and annuals | Allowed any day | Handheld hose or drip | Outside 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Vegetable beds | Allowed any day | Handheld hose or drip | Outside 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
The lawn row has fewer exceptions than people tend to expect. Denver Water's amended order bars lawn watering even with a handheld hose, and it bans spray irrigation of every kind. That makes a hose-end sprinkler set under a tree a spray device, not a tree-watering method. Arvada's rules also let the infrastructure director grant written variances for particular uses, times or seasons, but approval is at the director's discretion.
Nearby cities chose different approaches this year. Westminster's April 15 Drought Watch is voluntary and asks residents to water lawns no more than three days a week. Golden's July amendment set a two-watering cap that applies to trees, shrubs and perennials as well as lawns. Under its written rules, Arvada allows less for grass than Westminster does and more for trees than Golden does.
The trees are what to protect this winter
A brown lawn can be reseeded or replaced in a season, but a mature shade tree can't be replaced that quickly. Denver Water's tree care guide, updated September 16, says that in dry years when turf watering is restricted, trees still need water on a schedule set by their size. After years of sharing water with sprinkler zones, a front-yard maple or honeylocust now depends on someone with a hose.
- Fall frequency. Water small trees four times a month, medium trees three times and large trees twice, per Denver Water's dry-year guidance.
- Winter amount. In dry winter stretches, give about 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter, once or twice a month.
- Winter conditions. Water only when it's above 40°F and there's no snow on the ground.
- New plantings. Recently planted trees may need water every two to three weeks during long dry spells.
- Method and timing. Use a handheld hose or a low-volume, non-spray drip line, before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
As an example, a large tree with an 8-inch trunk would need about 80 gallons per winter watering. That's a lot to deliver with a handheld nozzle, so a slow drip line or soaker hose that stays on the ground, with no spray, does the job with less standing around in the cold.
Some well-known fall advice no longer fits. Older seasonal tips, including a 2019 October guide from Echter's Nursery & Garden Center in Arvada, recommended watering lawns until the ground freezes. That made sense under normal rules. This year, the same guide's advice to deep-water trees and shrubs during dry periods is the part that still applies.
Why your water bill held steady, and what could change it
The tradeoff between brown lawns and conservation has kept Arvada's water rates where they are so far. In the spring, city staff proposed drought surcharges: $1.10 per thousand gallons used between 12,001 and 30,000 gallons per two-month billing cycle, and another $2.20 per thousand gallons above that. Staff tabled them in August. Infrastructure Director Jacqueline Rhoades reported that Arvada customers had used 14% less water than the previous five-year average in July and early August, close to the city's 20% goal.
Rhoades also said the city is "really preparing for a multi-year drought situation." If dry conditions continue, staff will return to council to ask for an extension of the drought declaration and reconsider the surcharges, possibly in spring 2027. The city has received 475 reports of water waste and issued 250 violations. Most were warnings, some were $100 fines and a few were $250 fines. Residents can report suspected violations at arvadaco.gov/drought. In short, if the 14% savings holds through winter, surcharges are less likely to come back in the spring.
A dormant lawn is a design project
From a design point of view, a lawn that can't be watered until Denver Water's board acts is a blank area to plan. Arvada's own programs show which way the city is heading. Its 2026 utility bill insert listed a $25 discount on Garden In A Box kits, free Slow the Flow sprinkler evaluations and discounts on lawn replacement.
All three have filled up for 2026. Resource Central says its Garden In A Box kits sold out, lawn replacement applications are closed, and Slow the Flow now points residents to a 2027 interest list. Resource Central's Lawn Removal Service is listed at $2.75 per square foot. Participating water providers pay $1.75 per square foot, up to $750, and participants pay $1 per square foot for up to 454 square feet. Those are the numbers to plan around for next year's application window. This year's opened March 9.
Two free classes this month can help with the planning:
- "Pollinators & Waterwise Landscapes," a Resource Central Zoom seminar on October 14, noon to 1 p.m., about replacing thirsty turf with native plants and pollinator habitat.
- "Horticulture Series #3: Putting the Garden to Bed," a Jefferson County CSU Extension class on October 24, 10 a.m. to noon, in Golden. It covers fall cleanup, mulch, winter watering and overwintering plants.
Over the winter, it's worth watching how sun and shade move across the brown patches, noting where the trees' roots reach, and sketching which areas should stay as turf. With applications opening around March, a plan finished by February would be ready to submit.
If a dry yard has you thinking about what your outdoor space should look like by spring 2027, Erin Loves Homes can help you sort out which trees to save, where turf still makes sense and what a water-wise redesign would cost. Schedule a free consultation, and we'll walk the yard with you before the 2027 application window opens.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
