Whose hot MLB starts don't we believe? The annual Tuffy Awards are here

Last baseball season, torpedo bats (remember those?) stole the show on opening weekend. They were all anyone could talk about.

But time – and technology – marches on. So what do we have dominating the discourse after the first series of games in 2026?ABS challenges, of course!

If the idea is to get the importantballs and strikes callscorrect, we're off to a good start. Except for Twins manager Derek Shelton, who was tossed from a game on Sunday, March 29, for arguing an overturned Ball 4.

That incident sparked a memorable call from Orioles TV announcer Kevin Brown, who exclaimed: "He's arguing with the robots! You can't defeat the robots!!"

Meanwhile, fantasy baseball managers are waging their own battles with technology as the season gets rolling.

Are my projections on target? Is this guy's hot start a fact or fluke? Why didn't the computer give my top waiver pickup?

In the search for just a fraction of the clarity ABS provides, it's time to recognize how easy it is to overreact to the small samples of the early season.

Our annual Tuffy Awards shine a spotlight on the lesser-known players off to hot starts who will raise fantasy managers' expectations, and then predictably return to a near-replacement level of production.

The inspiration for the awards is unheralded Chicago Cubs outfielder Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes, whohit three home runs off Dwight Goodenon opening day in 1994. Fantasy teams who grabbed Rhodes off the waiver wire saw him hit .234 with five home runs from that point forward.

So with a mix of caution and skepticism, we begin our quest to uncover this year's Tuffy.

Philadelphia Phillies fans pose for a photo by an opening day sign before a game against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on Mar. 26, 2026.

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See the excitement of Opening Day as MLB welcomes a new season

Philadelphia Phillies fans pose for a photo by anopening daysign before a game against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on Mar. 26, 2026.

They might be legit

Not every unexpectedly fast start is necessarily a fluke. There are always a few early-season waiver wire pickups who remain productive all year. Here are a few worth taking seriously.

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OF Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians.The No. 16 overall pick in 2022 out of James Madison made his MLB debut during last year's playoffs. Then in his first official at-bat with the Guardians, he took the Mariners' Logan Gilbert deep – and seemingly never stopped slugging. After one series, DeLauter led the majors with four home runs.

The 24-year-old has always been a highly regarded prospect, but persistent foot injuries have kept him from playing more than 57 games in any of his three pro seasons. Through it all, he's consistently posted excellent numbers. It's time DeLauter takes a big step forward.

3B Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox.There was plenty of skepticism this offseason that Murakami's outrageous power numbers in Japan would translate to the majors, where he'd see many more power arms. The former Triple Crown winner and Japan Central League MVP seems to have adjusted pretty well though, with three solo homers in his first three games. There are still concerns about his contact rate and propensity to strike out, but he did have as many walks as strikeouts (four) in his opening series.

SP Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels.We all should know better than to get too excited about Angels pitchers, but Soriano thrived in his first opening day start. He averaged 99.1 mph on his fastball – up 1.2 mph from last year's average – in tossing six scoreless innings against the Astros. He also allowed just two hits and struck out seven.

Near-Tuffys

SP Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners.In the final game of opening week, Hancock stopped the Guardians (including DeLauter) cold. Sure, the chilly temperatures may have helped, but he struck out nine and allowed just one walk in six no-hit innings before departing. This performance came out of nowhere after Hancock posted ERAs near 5.00 while bouncing between Seattle and the minors the past two seasons. The former first-round pick should make a few more starts before Bryce Miller is healthy, but it's hard to see him doing this again.

SP Randy Vasquez, San Diego Padres.In his first two seasons with the Padres, Vasquez averaged fewer than six strikeouts per nine innings with swinging-strike rates below 8.5%. In his first start of 2026, he fanned eight Tigers in six frames with a 14.3% swinging-strike rate. Like Hancock, Vasquez did gain more than a tick on his fastball from last season, but let's see if it sticks.

SP Eric Lauer, Toronto Blue Jays.After fellow starters Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease combined for 11 ⅓ scoreless innings against the Athletics, Lauer followed with four more of his own before allowing a two-run homer in the fifth. What was most eye-opening though: nine strikeouts in 5 ⅓ innings (part of a major league record 50 strikeouts for Toronto pitchers in the season's first three games).

Jumping on the Jays bandwagon is easy at this point, but Lauer's time in the rotation will only last until Trey Yesavage returns from a shoulder strain in a couple weeks.

2B David Hamilton, Milwaukee Brewers.One glance at the half-week stolen base leaders reveals Hamilton ahead of everyone with three. (On pace to top 70!) But Hamilton had just four at-bats and eight plate appearances in the Brewers' opening series while platooning with Luis Rengifo at third base. If you need speed only, he swiped a total of 55 over the past two seasons in part-time duty with the Red Sox. But he won't give you anything else.

3B Ben Williamson, Tampa Bay Rays.Also getting off to a hot start with his new team, Williamson went 5-for-9 and scored four runs in his first three games. Known primarily for his glove, he's part of a platoon at third and will only see part-time at-bats until Gavin Lux returns from the IL Williamson has just one home run in 286 career at-bats through Sunday.

And the 2026 Tuffy Award goes to ...

OF Joey Wiemer, Washington Nationals.It's hard to be any better than Wiemer was in going 6-for-6 with a couple of walks and two home runs to start the season. The 27-year-old journeyman is playing for his fourth major league team in four seasons. On a rebuilding Nationals squad, it's no surprise he went undrafted in just about every fantasy league after hitting .150 this spring.

Wiemer's roster rate will skyrocket this week after he homered on opening day and followed it up with three-run blast on Sunday. But those heroics came against a pair of left-handed Cubs starters. He isn't going to take away playing time from a true young talent like Daylen Lile in right field or a defensive whiz like Jacob Young in center.

Wiemer is a nice story, but one we've seen many times before at this time of year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Fantasy baseball Tuffy Awards highlight 2026 opening-week anomalies

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

Whose hot MLB starts don't we believe? The annual Tuffy Awards are here

Last baseball season, torpedo bats (remember those?) stole the show on opening weekend. They were all anyone could talk a...

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Cuba to receive a sanctioned Russian oil tanker as it struggles under US blockade

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba prepared on Monday to receivea sanctioned Russian tankercarrying roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, the first such delivery this year to the island that has been brought to its knees by a U.S. oil blockade.

Cuba Aid Boats

It comes a day afterU.S. President Donald Trumptold reporters he had "no problem" with theRussian oil tankerdelivering relief to Cuba.

The exact location of theRussian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkinremained a subject of conflicting reports. While the Russian Transport Ministry and the state-run news portal Cubadebate said the vessel had already arrived, ship-tracking data showed it was still navigating Cuban waters with an estimated docking time of Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Russia had previously discussed its oil shipment to Cuba with the United States. "Russia considers it its duty not to stand aside, but to provide the necessary assistance to our Cuban friends," he told reporters.

The tanker's final destination is the port of Matanzas, a strategic hub for an island that produces barely 40% of its required fuel and relies on imports to sustain its energy grid. Experts say the anticipated shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba's daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Asked about Trump's decision to allow the Russian oil tanker and not ones from other nations, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday called it "a decision that will continue to be made on a case-by-case basis for humanitarian reasons or otherwise," adding that "there's been no firm change in our sanctions policy."

Trump, whose government has come at its Caribbean adversary more aggressively than any U.S. government in recent history, has effectively cut Cuba off from key oil shipments in an effort toforce regime change. The blockade has haddevastating effects on the civiliansTrump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio say they want to help, leaving many desperate.

Islandwide blackouts have roiledCubans who have grappled with years of crisis, and a lack of gasoline and basic resources has crippled hospitals and slashed public transport.

For years, Mexico sent oil to Cuba in solidarity as the island struggled with anenergy crisis, but it was effectively forced to halt the shipments under thethreat of U.S. tariffs. Mexico pivoted to sending humanitarian aid, including food and hygiene products.

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Asked about Trump's comments on allowing the Russian vessel through,Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaumtold journalists that her country will continue sending aid and that "work was underway" with Cuban authorities to trade oil in the future.

Sheinbaum, who has walked a fine line with Trump to offset threats of tariffs and military action against cartels, provided few details.

She noted that private companies in Cuba, including hotels, "are looking for private entities willing to supply them with fuel," and that they have approached Mexico's state-owned oil company to purchase crude oil, adding that these requests are being reviewed.

Cuba has been at the heart of a geopolitical tug-of-war between the U.S. and Russia that dates back decades.

Trump on Sunday dismissed the idea that allowing the boat to reach Cuba would help Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It doesn't help him. He loses one boatload of oil, that's all it is. If he wants to do that, and if other countries want to do it, it doesn't bother me much," Trump said. "It's not going to have an impact. Cuba's finished. They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it's not going to matter."

The U.S., the European Union and the United Kingdom sanctioned multiple vessels, including the Anatoly Kolodkin, used to carry Russian oil followingRussia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

Cuba to receive a sanctioned Russian oil tanker as it struggles under US blockade

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba prepared on Monday to receivea sanctioned Russian tankercarrying roughly 730,000 barrels of oil, the f...

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NTSB investigating deadly school bus crash that killed 2 students

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating acrash involving a school busin Tennessee that killed two middle school students.

The NTSB said it has "initiated a safety investigation in coordination with the Tennessee Highway Patrol" into Friday's deadly crash in Carroll County.

"The NTSB investigation will examine school bus driver performance, student passenger occupant protection, and the oversight of school transportation operations," the agency said in a statement on Monday.

2 students on school bus killed in crash during field trip in Tennessee: Authorities

The investigation can take one to two years to complete, with a preliminary report possible in about 30 days, the NTSB said.

The crash involved a school bus from Montgomery County, a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck and a Chevrolet Trailblazer, authorities said. Dash cam video showed the bus initially colliding with the dump truck.

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"The details of the crash are still ongoing," Tennessee Highway Patrol Maj. Travis Plotzer said at a press briefing on Friday, adding that it doesn't appear the dump truck "had any contributing factors to the crash."

Two students on the school bus were pronounced dead at the scene, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said. Authorities have not released any additional details on them.

Several others were injured in the crash, with multiple victims airlifted to trauma centers in Memphis and Nashville, authorities said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Tiger Woods charged with DUI after rollover crash in Florida: Sheriff

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System said a group of eighth grade students and educators from Kenwood Middle School were on the bus headed to Jackson, Tennessee, for a weekend competition when the crash occurred.

"In a moment, their lives and their families' lives were upended," Clarksville-Montgomery County School System Director Jean Luna-Vedder said in amessageto the school community over the weekend. "As a mother and a lifelong educator, I cannot begin to imagine the fear and pain they continue to endure. I ask that everyone pray and wrap their arms around these students, employees, their families, and the entire Kenwood community."

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

NTSB investigating deadly school bus crash that killed 2 students

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating acrash involving a school busin Tennessee that killed two mi...

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NFL set to begin hiring and training replacement officials, AP sources say

PHOENIX (AP) — TheNFLis moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees' union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.

Both people spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because the conversations are private.

The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. The current CBAexpires on May 31.

The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth rate in compensation over a six-year labor deal, but the NFLRA wants 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees, the people said.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green told The Associated Press on Monday: "those numbers are not accurate." He said negotiations with the league are similar to 2012 when a stalemate resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used.

The league wants compensation tied to performance so that only high-performing game officials during the regular season share in the year-end bonus pool.

The league is also seeking greater flexibility to ensure the best officials are on the field during the postseason. The current CBA includes seniority as a factor in making postseason assignments.

Shortening the "dark period" is also a priority for the NFL. Currently, the league has no communication with game officials during the roughly three-month stretch between the Super Bowl and May 15. The goal is to increase access to game officials for rules discussions, video review, mechanics and appropriate football operations and committee meetings in order to improve the game and officials' performance.

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The NFL is offering to hire some full-time officials, but one of the people said the union is resisting and is asking for "full-time pay and part-time hours."

Green told the AP the 2012 and 2019 CBA agreements included provisions that would allow some officials to serve in full-time roles. He said the league experimented with this in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

"Each program ended because of their inability to manage it," Green said.

In a statement, Green said:

"Apparently 'League sources' are continuing to put out false and misleading information instead of wanting to meet at the negotiating table. The bottom line is our officials work for the wealthiest sports league in America, with profits that far exceed any of the others. That's normally a point of pride for the NFL. However, our officials are substantially under-compensated when compared to baseball and basketball umpires and referees. Our officials also aren't provided the health care benefits that those at 345 Park Avenue have. As far as performance pay, we had 'high performing officials' who worked this year's championship games and the Super Bowl who were paid less for those games than what they were paid for a regular-season game. That certainly isn't rewarding performance, as the NFL claims is their goal."

In preparation for potential use of replacement officials, the NFL competition committee has proposed a contingency that would allow the replay center in New York to advise the on-field officials on any missed roughing the passer or intentional grounding penalty, as well as any act that would have led to an ejection had a penalty been called. NFL owners will vote on the proposal this week at theannual meeting.

The NFL used replacement officials for the first three weeks of the 2012 season and resulted in several mistakes and wrong calls, including the disputed TD catch known as the "Fail Mary."

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

NFL set to begin hiring and training replacement officials, AP sources say

PHOENIX (AP) — TheNFLis moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several ...

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UConn's thrilling buzzer-beater, seen from 10 different camera angles

For every iconic moment we see on television during March Madness, there are many other captivating subplots going on at the same time.

Weaving them all together is what makes the best in the TV production business so great at what they do.

During CBS's coverage ofUConn's improbable 73-72 comeback win over Dukein the Elite Eight, Braylon Mullins' 35-footer to beat the buzzer was obviously the focal point. But the network's camera operators also had to be ready for the reaction shots.

Shortly after the game ended, the NCAA released its own "sizzle reel" with10 different angles of the key game-ending sequenceand its aftermath that wonderfully captures the wide range of emotions.

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One angle that didn't make the cut there was a reaction shot of CBS announcers Bill Raftery and Grant Hill as they joined play-by-play man Ian Eagle on the call.

It certainly was a magical moment for UConn. And abitter defeat (once again)for Duke.

It's just another reason why we can't get enough of March Madness.

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> McNeese Cowboys guard Tyshawn Archie (8) walks off the court after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Centeron March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Wisconsin Badgers guard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Thomas Dowd of the Troy Trojans reacts after coming out of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

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March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:See UConn-Duke finish from 10 different camera angles

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

UConn's thrilling buzzer-beater, seen from 10 different camera angles

For every iconic moment we see on television during March Madness, there are many other captivating subplots going on at ...

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Arnold Schwarzenegger's Son Joseph Baena Wins His First Bodybuilding Competition

Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, won first place in multiple categories at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition this weekend

NEED TO KNOW

• "Mission Accomplished!" Baena wrote on Instagram, sharing photos of himself flexing onstage

• The actor and bodybuilder's victory came a few days after he was spotted training with his dad at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach

Arnold Schwarzenegger's son,Joseph Baena, is officially a bodybuilding champion.

On Saturday, March 28, Baena, 28, shared a post onInstagram, revealing that he won first place in multiple categories at the NPC Natural Colorado State competition — including the Men's Open Body Heavy Weight Class, Men's Classic Physique True Novice and Men's Class Physique Novice.

"Mission Accomplished! 🥇," he wrote alongside several photos of himself flexing onstage during his bodybuilding debut.

Baena, whose mom isMildred Patricia Baena, celebrated his first victory just days after he spent some time training and receiving tips from his dad at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, Calif.

TheTerminatorstar, 78, started training at the same gym after moving to the United States in the 1960s.

From there, Schwarzenegger has been widely considered one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, having won the Mr. Olympia title seven times and Mr. Universe five times, before he stopped competing in 1980.

While Baena is following in his father's footsteps, he opened up about howhe didn't always have the most toned physiquein a JulyInstagrampost.

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"People sometimes forget that I used to be chubby in high school," theGunneractor explained in his caption. "I got cut from my basketball and soccer team because I couldn't keep up with the other kids."

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"Swim didn't have tryouts thankfully and completely changed my life forever," he added. "That was my introduction to Fitness and training."

Baena previously told PEOPLE in 2022 that he used to beharassed by his classmates for his weight— even the ones he'd considered friends.

"I was bullied when I was a kid, elementary, middle school, and not really in high school, but I just felt like an outsider in high school at the beginning," he said at the time, further explaining that he was "really overweight from the end of elementary school into the beginning of high school."

"It was my closest friends that were the ones that bullied me the most and made fun of me for being overweight and all these kind of things," Baena continued. "So, that was really a big struggle for me in finding myself and figuring out and creating that ambition to change my weight and my physique."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Son Joseph Baena Wins His First Bodybuilding Competition

Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, won first place in multiple categories at the NPC Natural Colorado State c...

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No snow. No water. Restrictions grow across West as drought fears rise

FRISCO, CO ‒ Stretching out in their beach chairs as the temperature climbed toward 70 degrees, Seth and Renee McLaughlin watched their three kids play in the sand on what was supposed to be a family ski trip.

Booked last November, their spring break vacation to Colorado's mountains required a hard shift in plans following ahistorically warm and dry winter: Instead of zipping down the slopes, the couple watched their kids sift sand into colorful toy buckets on the shores of Lake Dillon.

"It's obviously frustrating. You want to go skiing, and usually we ski until May, and instead we're at the beach," said Seth McLaughlin, 44, a nonprofit consultant. "I feel bad for the folks who spent tens of thousands of dollars to come on vacation here."

The McLaughlins' ruined vacation is a harbinger of what climatologists say will be a dangerously dry summer across the West. In many areas, all-important snowfall has been half of normal, with even hotter, drier temperatures expected in the coming months.

Western water woes deepen, raising drought fears

Much of the nationis in a drought already, but the headwaters of the Colorado River is among the driest places, along with south Texas and all of Florida. Alarmed civic officials across the West have already begun ordering restrictions on watering lawns, cleaning cars and even whether restaurant patrons get served glasses of water.

"We are already assuming our yard is going to be dead this year," said Renee McLaughlin, 44, a physician assistant. "And we're talking to the kids about taking five-minute showers."

The McLaughlins live in a Colorado city that has not yet ordered water restrictions, but many neighboring communities have already begun implementing them. Some ski areas are also closing early due to the heat and lack of snow.

Longtime Western water expert Brad Udall said it's hard to put into words just how bad things are. He said the early ski area closures will likely be followed by ranchers selling off cattle, and then skies darkened by wildfire smoke as dry vegetation burns.

For more than two decades, Udall has been studying how climate change is altering the West's water resources. He said 2026 may go down as the worst year for Colorado River flows in recorded history.

"It's really grim. It's horrific," said Udall, a senior climate scientist at Colorado State University's Colorado Water Center. "The impacts are going to be everywhere, throughout the economy and personally. You will feel this personally as it happens."

Based on previous years, a water shortage across the West could have drastic implications for food prices as crops dry up and cattle go thirsty. It would also imperil tens of thousands of businesses that depend on industrial water use, and raise the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

Huge portions of the West areserved by the Colorado River, which starts high in the Rockies before flowing downstream through Lake Powell, Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, and ultimately into California.

Climate experts have long warned that climate change will make the West hotter and drier, and worry that what's happening now represents a long-term shift that could reshape how people live and work across Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming. Some water experts say Lake Powell could hit its lowest level ever later this summer.

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And the beach where the McLaughlins' kids were playing? That's at Lake Dillon, a key source of drinking water for millions of Colorado residents that today sits at less than 60% full. Under normal circumstances, melting snow would be refilling the reservoir. Instead, the water remains hundreds of feet from the shoreline, with docks stuck in the mud. Little water trickled in, even though it was 70 degrees.

Water restrictions and concerns in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming

∎ At Lake Powell, which straddles the Arizona-Utah line, workers are preparing to move the entire floating Bullfrog Marina across the shrinking lake to the Hall's Crossing area, where the water will stay deeper longer. Water managers are warning that Lake Powell's water levels this year could drop to its lowest recorded level since the lake began filling in the 1960s.

Lake Powell is filled by the Colorado River and uses its water to generate hydroelectricity for about 500,000 households across the Southwest. But if the Colorado Riverflows this year are as low as projected, the lake level could by this fall drop below what's known as "power pool," or the minimum level necessary to spin the turbines.

When it first opened, Lake Powell was big enough to warrant a 30-minute car ferry that shuttled vehicles between Hall's Crossing on the south and Bullfrog on the north, saving drivers two hours of travel time. The ferry no longer runs because the loading ramps are so far from the water's edge. Many of the lake's boat-launch ramps are hanging hundreds of feet above the water level, and workers are once again extending them to reach the new shoreline. Last year, about 3.7 million tourists visited Lake Powell.

∎ Salt Lake City officials, preparing for drought, have temporarily banned the opening of any large non-residential developments that consume significant amounts of water.

While the measure is aimed in part at halting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials from opening a 7,500-person detention facility, city leaders said it's simply irresponsible to permit large-scale water use at this time: "New large water users are particularly problematic due to Salt Lake City's worsening drought conditions and water conservation needs, which we are already taking action to address," Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a statement. City and state officials are also considering ways to protect the long-shrinking Great Salt Lake.

At Mendenhall's orders, city facilities have been ordered to cut their water use by at least 10%, and residents and businesses have been asked to voluntarily conserve 10 million gallons.

∎ In Denver, residents havebeen told to hold off wateringtheir lawns until late May, even though temperatures have repeatedly been in the 80s across the city. The Denver Water Board on March 25 also restricted residential lawn watering to two days a week per house, down from three in normal years. Restaurants are only allowed to serve water to diners who specifically request it. And hotels cannot change sheets more often than four times a week, unless a guest requests it or the room turns over to a new customer.

Because Denver typically gets only about 15 inches of rain a year − Miami receives four times as much, in comparison − the city depends heavily on melting snow to fill reservoirs like Lake Dillon. Water board officials said they are adopting tough measures now to help avoid further problems next summer for their 1.5 million customers across the metro area.

"The conditions we are experiencing are unprecedented, and we need customers to save water to protect the supply we have right now," Nathan Elder, Denver Water's manager of water supply, said in a statement.

∎ In the northern Colorado city of Erie, officialswarned residents and businessesto halt any irrigation until early April, and they warned they could shut off water access to anyone caught wasting water on their lawns. Erie gets most of its water from melting snow that's piped across the Continental Divide, and that area saw unusually poor snow this winter.

"This is an extraordinary measure for an extremely precarious situation," city officials said in a March 20 announcement. "Demands are currently approaching 30% higher than usual at this time of year."

∎ In Wyoming, state officials have already told some water users to cut back to preserve supplies for the coming summer. And federal officials are expected to draw down one of the state's largest reservoirs, Flaming Gorge, to put water into Lake Powell during the hot summer months. State Engineer Brandon Gebhart warned some communities to prepare for not having adequate drinking water supplies in the coming months.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Western drought threatens water supply, boosts wildfire risk

byAlex Forten

in

March 30, 2026

No snow. No water. Restrictions grow across West as drought fears rise

FRISCO, CO ‒ Stretching out in their beach chairs as the temperature climbed toward 70 degrees, Seth and Renee McLaughlin...

Read More