Bipartisan Roberts Bill to Address Drought, Protect Colorado’s Water Supply Clears Committee
DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, that would improve Colorado’s water supply by implementing several recommendations made by the Colorado River Drought Task Force cleared the Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee today.
“Water is Colorado’s most precious natural resource and as we face an uncertain future with ongoing drought and more demands, we must continue to act to secure our state’s water future. That is why we created the Colorado River Drought Task Force last year and the recommendations they made are an important step toward securing our state’s water supply,” Roberts said. “I am proud to be advancing this legislation that will implement those recommendations and address the challenges facing our water supply head-on, help our agricultural and coal-transitioning communities, and ensure that we are protecting the Colorado River and all of Colorado’s water resources.”
Cosponsored by Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, SB24-197 would implement recommendations including:
Expanding the Environmental Instream Flow Temporary Loan Program to allow the owner of a decreed storage water right to loan water to the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to preserve or improve the natural environment.
Expansion of Colorado’s Agricultural Water Rights Protection Program which creates opportunities for agricultural water rights holders to make water temporarily available for other uses while maintaining water in agriculture.
Protection of Industrial Water Rights for Hayden & Craig’s Power Generation Systems through 2050, which will allow the electric utilities or another entity to look into the viability of future energy generation technologies that could advance Colorado’s clean energy and greenhouse gas emission goals while keeping energy-producing jobs in the region.
Increased Access to Water Plan Implementation Grants for Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Nations which would allow the CWCB to waive or reduce matching fund requirements for grants to Tribal Nations and enterprises.
Since 2000, the Colorado River Basin, including the Colorado River and its tributaries in Colorado, has experienced unprecedented drought conditions -exacerbated by climate change - that have contributed to decreased water supplies. In response, lawmakers passed SB23-295, which created the Colorado River Drought Task Force and charged it with developing water policy recommendations for the General Assembly to consider.
SB24-197 will now move to consideration before the full Senate. Track the bill’s progress HERE.