Investing in Colorado’s Watersheds: Update on the CWCB Water Plan Grant Program
Ashley Garrison, Regional Water Plan Grant Manager, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Department of Natural Resources Breckenridge, Colorado, United States Ashley.garrison@state.co.us
This 15-minute presentation (could be up to 30 min) offers an update on the Water Plan Grant (WPG) Program, managed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). The Water Plan Grant Program is the state's primary funding mechanism for implementing the goals of the Colorado Water Plan.
The presentation will outline the five core funding areas—Agricultural Projects, Conservation & Land Use, Engagement & Innovation, Water Storage and Supply, and Watershed Health & Recreation—with a special focus on recent successes in protecting and restoring the state's rivers. In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the program allocated substantial funding toward Watershed Health and Recreation projects, leading to the design or implementation of over 300,000 linear feet of stream restoration and the preservation of nearly 800 acres of habitat. We will highlight successful projects, including crucial efforts in riparian restoration, streambank stabilization (such as the Lower North Fork Sediment Stabilization), and integrated post-wildfire risk mitigation (Wildfire Ready Action Plans).
Attendees will gain practical knowledge about upcoming funding cycles, including the July 1st and December 1st application deadlines, and discover how to align local planning, design, and implementation activities with grant priorities.
Attendees will leave this session with a clear understanding of the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s commitment to healthy riparian corridors, current funding availability, and the necessary next steps to successfully secure state resources to advance their local watershed health priorities.