DENVER -- Colorado's chances for a drought rose during the past month as March brought some snow to the mountains, but not enough to make up for the deficit left by a fifth consecutive dry winter, state officials said.

Because of that, Aurora and other cities are considering water rationing to deal with the lack of water.

Nearly 20 years ago, the city of Aurora implemented the same program.

Pam Brabhams and her neighbors were asked to cut back on water use and restricted to running their sprinklers only a few times a month.

"As long as you watched it, and did it early morning or late evening, it worked out fine. We didn't have any problems with it here," Brabhams said.

But that's something families who live in the city's new subdivisions -- who are hoping to put green grass where there is now dirt -- are not very happy to hear, 7NEWS reported.

Aurora will soon be sending out calendars to help residents know when they're able to water. The program will be voluntary, but if the summer is hot and dry that could change.

"At that time, we would have mandatory restrictions on all outdoor uses," said Peter Binney of the Aurora Water Department.

Snowpack this year is only at 52 percent of average and as it melts, there will be less water for many cities along the Front Range.

And as growth continues in Aurora and other cities, it's putting a strain on the water supply.

What's been stored from wetter winters in the past is being drained and not being replaced.

Rationing this summer is a way to slow that down, city officials said.

"We believe it's prudent at this time to encourage people to be careful with their water usage," Binney said.

The city of Aurora plans to cut back on its own watering -- in the parks and on golf courses -- and it will be working with businesses to do the same.

As for other cities, Englewood is one that will be putting restrictions in place and other cities are thinking about it as well.

Colorado registered its shallowest March 1 snowpack in two decades this year, according to the state.

The average snowpack, which supplies 80 percent of the state's water requirements, stood at just 56 percent of the average for that date.

Colorado would need 276 percent of its average future snowfall for the season to reach its average snowpack depth by April 1, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Services.

"Right now I understand snowpack is sitting about 45 percent of normal, and normal's not enough," rancher Gordon Off said. "So it's liable to be pretty tight.

In the Arkansas and South Platte drainages, even farmers who irrigate from wells may have their water supplies curtailed.

"We are gearing up for a difficult time," said Jack Byers, an engineer with the state Division of Water Resources.

Phillips, Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture for assistance. This week, Prowers County declared a drought emergency.

Meteorologist Klaus Wolter of the Climate Diagnostic Center offered some hope with his prediction that a return of El Nino warming in the Pacific could moisten the spring and fall. But he said it's too early to tell how much water if any El Nino might deliver. "There's about a one-third chance that it could just fade away," he said.

More Information:

• Colorado Drought Task Force
• Natural Resources Conservation Services