The Upper Division States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming are working to establish a voluntary contribution program for the Colorado River. This program is designed to allow water users in the Upper Basin to contribute water that will be credited to the Upper Division States.
The initiative includes a Near-Term Contribution Program for 2027–2028 to support the long-term viability of the river. According to the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the federal government has committed $100 million to the Upper Colorado River Commission to fund activities across the four Upper Division States. Colorado anticipates that funding for water contribution projects will be available starting in 2027.
The program is informed by several previous initiatives and research, including the CWCB Demand Management Feasibility Investigation and the System Conservation Pilot Program, which operated between 2015–2018 and 2023–2024. Additionally, a Provisional Accounting MOU between the Upper Division States and the Bureau of Reclamation for 2025 and 2026 provides a framework for quantifying and reporting water contributions.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board is currently developing evaluation criteria for projects applying to the program. These criteria include requirements for resulting in credits for the Upper Division States, operating within existing Colorado state law, and providing mechanisms for Tribal participation. Other criteria include protecting water rights, minimum acreage for irrigation, and building drought resilience.
Input regarding the project evaluation criteria is being sought to help inform the Board as it finalizes the list at its September meeting.
