HB 18-1151

HB 18-1151 is a Colorado bill that allows the state's Water Conservation Board to approve pilot projects for deficit irrigation in specific regions. Deficit irrigation involves using less water than what crops typically need, which helps conserve water and makes it available for other uses like leasing. The bill focuses on water divisions 2 and 3 and within the Upper Gunnison district. It also ensures that any decrease in water use from these projects won't be counted against future water rights. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now official policy and can be implemented by the Water Conservation Board.

Official Summary

Current law allows the Colorado water conservation board to approve up to 15 pilot projects for agricultural water leasing or fallowing projects. The bill expands the types of projects that may be approved to include deficit irrigation projects, which use less than the optimal amount of water on a particular crop, but limits these projects to water divisions 2 and 3 and within the boundaries of the upper Gunnison water conservancy district. The bill also excludes from the determination of historical consumptive use decreases in use resulting from deficit irrigation projects to conserve or lease water. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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