Overview
- Denver Water will move about 5,000 acre-feet of water from Antero Reservoir to Cheesman Reservoir to reduce summer evaporation losses.
- After fish are relocated, Antero will close to all recreation for 2026, including camping.
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife will assist with relocating fish before the reservoir is drained.
- Officials say the plan enables greater use of South Platte River Basin supplies to limit diversions from west of the Continental Divide.
- Antero was last fully closed during the 2002 drought, and a 2013 plan to drain it was scrapped after heavy late-season storms.