Your Daily Guide

🚿 Denver to Vote Tomorrow on Complete Sprinkler Ban

Despite a recent uptick in rainstorms across the Denver Metro area, the city continues to experience drought conditions. Tomorrow, the Board of Water Commissioners will vote on whether to ban sprinklers in the city entirely starting Oct. 1.

• What does a sprinkler ban mean? Denver usually ends watering restrictions Oct. 1, meaning that’s when people can revert to watering their lawns normally. If the measure is approved, residents would have to turn off their sprinklers and could only water trees and plants by hand. [Denverite]
• What else has Denver been doing? Earlier this month, Denver Water began implementing fines for anyone who violated mandatory water restrictions. Everyone gets a warning the first time, but a second violation carries a $250 fine. A person’s third and fourth violation will cost them $500 and $1,000, respectively.
• A drought that won't dissipate: Despite these steep fees, plus residents reporting thousands of violations to the water waste hotline, some residents are refusing to play along even though Denver’s drought isn’t letting up. [CBS Denver]

🦫 It’s Fat Marmot Week — Cast Your Vote!

Fat Marmot Week is officially underway, which means you can vote for your favorite fluffy rodent. Scientists say they study marmots to understand how wildlife responds to climate change. But with science funding at risk, researchers have turned to projects like Fat Marmot Week, and even a PG-rated OnlyFans account, to generate public interest in supporting their research. [The Colorado Sun]

💸 Polis Requests Federal Aid As Fires Remain Uncontained

Gov. Jared Polis has asked the Trump administration to declare a major disaster after the Aspen Acres and Gold Mountain fires destroyed hundreds of homes, damaged infrastructure, prompted deadly floods, and disrupted economies across three Colorado counties. An official disaster declaration would provide Colorado with FEMA funds to assist in recovery efforts. Polis last requested Major Disaster Declarations in 2025 after the Lee and Elk fires, both of which the president denied. [CBS News; CPR]

🐻 Bear Wanders Into South Denver

Bear sightings in the Denver Metro reached new heights over the weekend when residents in the Platt Park neighborhood spotted a black bear in a tree near Louisiana and Pennsylvania streets. That’s just two blocks from South Pearl Street, where the farmers market was taking place. Wildlife officials tranquilized the bear, caught it falling out of the tree, then released the animal back into the wild. [9News; X]

• Drought-related food shortages are pushing bears into Denver. After her own recent bear encounter, producer Olivia Jewell Love talked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to share with City Cast Denver podcast listeners why this keeps happening — and what behaviors we should change (even in the city). [City Cast Denver 🎧]