Rivers in the Roaring Fork Watershed are flowing exceptionally below average for this time of year, at 11-19% of normal! Thursday morning’s lowest flow on the Roaring Fork River at Emma was 268 cfs - the lowest on record for this date. Releases from Ruedi Reservoir will increase by 65 cfs today. These releases are for endangered fish recovery efforts in the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River and Ruedi contract water. Colorado’s rivers and land are experiencing critical conditions: to date, 42 Red Flag Warnings were issued in our watershed (already the third most in a single year). The 21 Red Flag Warnings issued in June were the most in a single month on record. Red Flag Warnings are issued when strong winds, low humidity, and hot temperatures combine to create extreme fire risk. As we head into the 4th of July weekend, remember that the entire watershed is under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. River users are reminded to clean, drain, and dry all water gear to prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species. Read more about water and fire restrictions at www.roaringfork.org/drought.