Kiowa County Public Health

10/12/2026

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

Official website of Prowers County Colorado

09/17/2026

Help Us Strengthen Su***de Prevention in Our Community
Your voice matters. We are working to improve how we identify, support, and care for individuals at risk for suicide—and we need your input.

Please take a few minutes to complete our anonymous community survey by scanning the QR code below.
Open your phone’s camera and point it at the QR code. When a link appears on your screen, tap it to open the survey.

Your feedback will help guide meaningful changes and ensure we are meeting the needs of our community.

🕒 Quick | 📱 Easy | 🔒 Confidential
Together, we can make a difference.
***dePrevention

08/31/2026

Enjoying the Colorado outdoors? Check for ticks after every outing! Tick season is here.
Find information about tick-related infections, as well as instructions for removing embedded ticks, at cdc.gov/ticks/index.html or cdphe.colorado.gov/animal-related-
diseases/tick-borne-diseases

08/31/2026

Feeling dizzy, weak, or sick in the heat? It could be heat exhaustion.
Heat exhaustion happens when your body gets too hot and loses too much water or salt.
Watch for:
💧 Heavy sweating
😓 Weakness or tiredness
🤢 Nausea or vomiting
😵 Dizziness
🤕 Headache
💪 Muscle cramps
‍️ Fainting
If you or someone else has these symptoms:
✔ Move to a cooler place.
✔ Drink water if you're awake and able.
✔ Apply cool, wet cloths.
✔ Seek medical care if symptoms don't improve or get worse.
Recognizing heat exhaustion early can help prevent heat stroke.

08/31/2026

en español

08/31/2026

Press Release
August 30th, 2026

HASTY, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife advises visitors to John Martin Reservoir State Park to avoid contact with the Arkansas River and John Martin Reservoir beginning Monday, Aug. 31, as water affected by a 4.2-million-gallon untreated sewage spill in Pueblo moves downstream.

The sewage entered the Arkansas River in Pueblo Aug. 26-27 and is expected to reach the reservoir by Monday morning.

CPW is coordinating with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and CPW’s Water Resources staff. That coordination has kept park staff informed as the spill moves downstream and allowed the park to prepare a monitoring plan. CDPHE will collect water-quality samples at the park.

“I’m grateful for the communication that has kept us up to speed from the onset,” said Dan Kirmer, JMRSP Manager. “While we cannot fix what is coming downstream, we have an opportunity to prepare and communicate with our visitors before it arrives.”

The park remains open and the advisory applies to activities involving direct contact with water in the Arkansas River and John Martin Reservoir.

Beginning Monday, visitors should avoid swimming, wading, tubing, paddleboarding, fishing and other activities involving direct water contact. Visitors should also keep pets away from affected water.

Warning signs will be posted at the park and around the reservoir to alert visitors to the contamination and water contact advisory.

The sewage spill comes as park staff are monitoring separate water-quality concerns involving cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae. The reservoir was recently downgraded to a yellow caution level for possible algae-producing cyanobacteria and toxins, and regular testing continues.

Lake Hasty, a separate body of water at the park, remains under a red danger algae condition and closed to full-body water contact after its most recent test showed levels had increased again.

“Lake Hasty will not be impacted by the sewage spill, but its existing algae restrictions remain in place,” Kirmer said. “We will continue testing and communicating with our visitors as conditions change.”

CDPHE will collect water-quality samples at the park, and CPW will update the advisory as sampling results become available.

Visitors should follow posted signs and check the John Martin Reservoir State Park webpage for current park conditions and updates.