The town of Mancos is implementing mild water use restrictions to prepare for potential shortages later this year.

On June 14, Town Administrator Heather Alvarez announced that the town would be restricting residents’ outdoor water use. Residents will only be able to water on certain days, depending on their addresses, and only for four hours in the morning and evening.

The town is not facing a water shortage right now, Alvarez said, but town staff want to be prepared for one if their water rights are temporarily called by the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

According to an announcement posted on the Mancos website and around town, residents with addresses ending in even numbers can only water their lawns on even-numbered dates, while those with odd-numbered addresses can only water on odd-numbered days. In addition, residents can only water between 6 and 10 a.m. or 6 and 10 p.m. under the new restrictions. The announcement added that the Mancos Water Dock may be closed at some point during the summer.

Gardens and new lawns are exempt from the restrictions.

Alvarez said the town is pulling water from the Mancos River, as usual, but if its rights are pulled, it will have to rely on the Jackson Reservoir, “a finite amount of water.” If that happens, she said, the town staff will need to decide whether to impose more restrictions.

In an email Thursday, Alvarez said she had “no idea” how long the restrictions would last.

Montezuma County is experiencing exceptional drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Low snowpack in the San Juan Mountains over the winter and unusually hot, dry weather this spring has led to low water levels in several reservoirs and rivers throughout the county.