Overview
- Denver Water will begin moving water from Antero Reservoir to Cheesman Reservoir in the coming weeks and will close all recreation at Antero for the rest of 2026 after fish are relocated.
- Officials say Antero loses the most water to evaporation for its size, and shifting storage could prevent about 5,000 acre-feet from evaporating, roughly one-quarter of the lake; one acre-foot supplies about three to four households for a year.
- The utility says this drought response allows greater use of South Platte River Basin supplies and reduces draws from sources west of the Continental Divide that are already below normal.
- Denver Water is working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to move fish before levels drop, and the timeline to refill and reopen depends on future snowpack and runoff.
- Guides and anglers are rebooking trips as the closure halts a popular fishery and camping spot for the 2026 season.