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.

Colorado Water Funding Guide

River Network has a webpage dedicated to the Farm Bill Conservation Programs

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.

NRCRS Website

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

Yampa River Fund

 

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

State WSRF

See the YWG BRT website for further information on the its WSRF grant process

YWG BRT WSRF Grant 

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.

Water Plan Grants

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

Water Loan Program