As a result of the current and projected severe drought conditions in the metro Denver area, guidelines are being issued for use of the district’s outdoor athletic fields.

The guidelines were developed by the district’s Community Partnership/Enterprise Activity office, the Department of Athletics and the Department of Facility Management. The City and County of Denver and the Denver Water Department also were involved in the development of the guidelines.

Beginning immediately, access to fields will be focused on the needs of student athletes who participate in DPS-sanctioned athletic events and physical education curriculum. The plan calls for these athletes to have reduced access and use of fields for spring semester activities while officials work to maintain, protect and preserve playing surfaces for the future.

Athletic programs will reduce practice time by as much as 33 percent, according to Leslie Moore, DPS Director of Athletics. Alternate indoor locations will be used for practices and physical education programs will be scaled back within the guidelines of the district curriculum.

Community groups, clubs and youth organizations will have limited access to athletic fields based on restricted availability and field conditions.

The weather-related circumstances have resulted in 36 of the district’s 130 athletic or multi-purpose fields being taken offline for student and community use. Of the 36, 29 have barricades and seven have been designated “no-use” due to deteriorated conditions. These seven fields do not require the use of barricades since the field conditions are so poor.

The district will operate the remaining 94 athletic fields with minimal or no use restrictions for spring semester activities. The majority of those fields will be taken offline at the conclusion of the sports season or school year. The remaining fields will have limited access throughout the year for all district-sanctioned and permitted activities.

There are currently five athletic and multi-purpose fields that will need to be replaced when weather and water conditions improve. However, that number is likely to climb and the cost of replacing those facilities is still being evaluated.

“Drought conditions, coupled with continued low levels of moisture in the Rocky Mountain region this winter, have left our outdoor athletic fields in below average to poor condition,” said Don Moon, Grounds Supervising Foreman. “As a result, officials from our departments of Facility Management, Community Use of School Facilities and Athletics conducted a review and assessment of each individual field and, working closely with the City of Denver and Denver Water, we’ve developed a program that provides the maximum amount of appropriate field access while helping to ensure our field resources for years to come.”

Based on its assessment of field conditions and projected water supply, the district is working to preserve as many athletic properties as possible. After an extensive review of available options, Denver Public Schools will use a combination of concrete field barriers, fencing and on-site signage to protect fields from unauthorized student and community use. However, officials caution that the ability to preserve fields will be based on the amount of water available to maintain them in the coming months and year.

Protecting fields from unauthorized use is a top priority.

“We’re asking students, parents, coaches and other members of the community to recognize and adhere to the drought related field use restrictions,” said Moon. “Although thousands of students and members of the Denver community are directly affected by these restrictions, we believe it is a short-term sacrifice that will help protect these important and costly assets so that we have them for everyone’s use in the years to come.”

Anyone witnessing an individual or group violating field access rules is asked to call the district 720-423-3911) or the local precinct of the Denver Police Department to report the violation.

A complete field access schedule has been developed by the district for elementary, middle and high school facilities and is available by calling 720-423-3352.