Grand Junction Residents See a Changing River In July

Quick question. What's the lowest you've ever seen the Colorado River in Grand Junction? Some of the lowest years on record include 1977, 2002, and 2012. I'm gonna need to go beg the library to use their photos.

Water levels in the Colorado River in Grand Junction continue to fall as the July heat arrives. Those near triple-digit temperatures, ultra-dry air, wildfire smoke, and very little rain have continued to lower the river over the last couple of weeks.

How the Colorado River Looked in Late June 2026

Grand Junction Locals See a Shrinking River In July

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Why is the river so low this summer? It's the lack of winter snowmelt and the total lack of rain in 2026. Grand Junction hasn't received half our normal rainfall this year. We're way behind. From May 19 to July 5, it has rained once. According to the National Weather Service, we've had about 1/10 of an inch of rain over the last 47 days. A tiny bit of rain moved over the valley on Monday night. We're waiting to see the total.

How the Colorado River Looked on July 4, 2026

Grand Junction Locals See a Shrinking River In July

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June was a warm month in the Grand Valley. We had nine days in Grand Junction with a high temperature of 95 degrees or higher. If you have driven I-70 to Denver, you know the river is low and slow most of the way across the state. There are places in Glenwood Canyon where the mighty Colorado River looks more like a creek.

The Aspen Times reports this year's monsoon season should include an uptick in thunderstorms by the end of this month. Hopefully, we get plenty of rain with very little lightning.

Grand Junction Locals See a Shrinking River In July