There’s a very real possibility that sections of our state's rivers will close to rafters and floaters because of low water levels this season.

That’s not yet the case for lower areas of the Colorado River, where recreational companies thrive.

"Last year we were looking at a 27-year high and this year we're looking at a low,” Thomas Kleinschnitz with Adventure Bound River Expedition, said.

Rafting season is kicking into high gear in the Grand Valley and rivers relying on reservoir water will get by on last year's big snowpack.

"The minimum flows that are running down the Colorado are getting us down," Kleinschnitz said.

But low water levels are costing some companies.

"The phone isn't as active as we'd like it to be,” Kleinschnitz said.

Outfitters like Adventure Bound River Expeditions are adjusting to the drought.

Kleinschnitz says, "We’re going to be at some epic lows and we're going to be at some levels that will cause us to have smaller equipment."

But using smaller equipment, it says, opens up opportunities to explore more remote parts of the river.

"Last year the water was so big. It was something where we would run the very biggest equipment we had and people couldn't be as active in what we were producing,” Kleinschnitz said. “This year we can get those inflatable kayaks out and people can run a lot of these canyons."

During the summer, Mesa County Sheriff's Office typically issues warnings and bans for floating the river on single chambered vessels, but that's not the case this year.

"Overall we have not had the river rescue that we typically see and we definitely attribute that to the lower water conditions," Heather Benjamin with the sheriff’s office said.