Water Project Funding Opportunities
The following resources were put together by the Roundtable as a list of possible funding opportunities for water projects in the Yampa-White-Green Basin. This list is to help water uses research what possible opportunities there are. The list below are local opportunities within the basin.
National and State Wide
Colorado Agriculture Water Alliance and Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance have developed a State-wide, Federal and National Non-Government Funding Opportunities list.
River Network has a webpage dedicated to the Farm Bill Conservation Programs
Basin Specific Information
Federal Programs
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
The NRCS has several programs that can help like EQIP to cover cost of projects that meet conservation objectives. NRCS offices work closely with local Conservation Districts to develop local conservation goals.
Moffat County (970) 824-3476 ext 105
Rio Blanco County: (970) 878-5628
Routt County: (970) 879-3225
Conservation Districts with in the Yampa-White-Green Basin
Moffat County: Colorado First Conservation District
Rio Blanco County: White River and Douglas Creek Conservation District
Routt County: Routt County Conservation District
Local Grant Opportunities:
Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District
Mini-Grant Program:
Grant to cover measuring and control devices Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District Infrastructure Improvement Projects Pilot program offering grants to install headgates and measuring devices in the Upper Yampa River Basin.
Upper Yampa Conservancy District
Yampa River Fund
The Yampa River Fund provides sustainable funding for:
- Voluntary, market-based water leases and release from reservoirs that will enhance river flow
- Restoration actions that will improve riparian, in-channel, streambank, and aquatic habitat
- Agriculture infrastructure improvements that will generate combined agricultural, environmental, and recreational benefits
Please check Website on Application Deadline
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Water Supply Reserve Fund
This fund is from the Colorado Water Conservation Board that is funded through severance tax funds dulled out by the Colorado State Legislature. This pool of money is split between a Statewide accounts and Roundtable accounts. Both State and Basin WSRF grant request must come through the Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable (YWG BRT) grant process. YWG BRT Grant request should support one of the goals of the Basin Implementation Plan (BIP) while request from the state funds should be tied to the Colorado Water Plan. The first step to request WSRF funds either basin and/or state funds should start with the YWG BRT grant process.
See the CWCB website for further information on WSRF grants
See the YWG BRT website for further information on the its WSRF grant process
Other Statewide Grant/Loan Opportunities from CWCB
Water Plan Grant
This grant is funded to make progress on critical actions identified in the Colorado Water Plan
Water Plan Grant program funding categories include:
- Development of additional storage, artificial recharge into aquifers, and dredging existing reservoirs to restore the reservoirs’ full decreed storage capacity for multi-beneficial projects and those projects identified in basin implementation plans to address the water supply and demand gap.
- Technical assistance, project, or program funding for agricultural projects.
- Long-term strategies for conservation, land use, and drought planning.
- Water education, outreach, and innovation efforts.
- Environmental and recreational projects.
Alternative Agriculture Water Transfer Methods Grants
Funds for alternative transfer methods which was a goal set in the Colorado Water Plan to compete with traditional buy-and-dry. Goal is to establish interruptible water supply agreements while sustaining meaningful agriculture production.
Alternative Ag Water Transfer Methods
Water Project Loan Program
Colorado Water Conservation Board has a loan program for large projects, Minimum of $100,000 suggested
Eligible projects for financing include new construction or rehabilitation of storage and delivery facilities, such as:
- Reservoirs
- Ditches and canals
- Pipelines
- Diversion structures
- Groundwater wells
- Water rights purchases
- Flood control projects
- Hydropower