HB 17-1219

HB 17-1219 is a Colorado bill that extends and modifies a pilot program aimed at conserving water by allowing farmers to temporarily stop irrigating their land and lease the saved water to other users for various purposes like municipal or environmental use. The original program allowed up to 10 projects, but this new bill increases it to 15 projects and adjusts the deadlines for applications and completion dates. This means more opportunities for water conservation efforts across different river basins in Colorado until 2034. Since the bill has been signed into law, these changes are now official and being implemented.

Official Summary

The Colorado water conservation board (board) administers a pilot program to demonstrate the practice of fallowing agricultural irrigation land and leasing the associated water rights for temporary municipal, agricultural, environmental, industrial, or recreational use. Under the current pilot program, the board, in consultation with the state engineer, may authorize up to 10 pilot projects, each of a duration up to 10 years. Of the 10 pilot projects that the board may authorize, no more than 3 pilot projects may be located in any one of the following major river basins: The South Platte river basin; the Arkansas river basin; the Rio Grande river basin; and the Colorado river basin. An applicant must apply on or before December 31, 2018, to sponsor a pilot project. The pilot program is scheduled to be completed in 2029, at which time the board, in consultation with the state engineer, is required to provide a final report to the water resources review committee, or its successor committee, on the results of the pilot projects authorized. The bill extends the pilot program as follows: The board, in consultation with the state engineer, may authorize up to 15 pilot projects; No more than 5 pilot projects may be located in any one of the 4 major river basins listed above; An applicant must apply on or before December 31, 2023, to sponsor a pilot project; and The pilot program would be completed in 2034, at which time the board, in consultation with the state engineer, would provide a final report to the water resources review committee or its successor committee.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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