BLM Colorado Water Program
BLM Colorado works closely with other federal and state governments to maintain and improve water quality, aquatic habitat, wetlands, springs, restoration, instream flow protection and water rights to ensure adequate high quality water is available to support municipal drinking water supplies, eligible wild and scenic rivers, wilderness areas, fish, amphibians, groundwater, riparian dependent species, threatened and endangered species, and other downstream uses. Examples of BLM Colorado’s activities include inventory, quantification and modeling of water sources; filing applications for water rights with the State of Colorado; and formulating instream flow protection recommendations for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. BLM Colorado also cooperates with owners of water rights and water management facilities to develop operational approaches that provide human water supplies while protecting water-dependent values.
The Soil, Water and Air (SWA) program’s ability to achieve its mission depends upon its ability to work collaboratively with communities, as well as federal, state, local agencies and tribes to maintain and improve water quality, availability, and water dependent aquatic species and habitat. BLM Colorado works closely with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) on instream flow appropriations and occasionally with Colorado Parks and Wildlife where fish and aquatic species are present. The CWCB is the only entity in the state that has legal authority to hold instream flow water rights. BLM Colorado works with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) in developing water quality standards, aquatic life protection, source water protection and nonpoint source pollution control through participation in workgroups and MOUs.