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DENVER, CO – Bipartisan laws to promote effective water management will go into effect on August 7.SB24-005, sponsored by Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, and Representatives Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, and Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, promotes water-wise landscaping by prohibiting the installation of nonfunctional turf, invasive plant species, and artificial turf in any newly developed commercial, institutional, industrial, and state property. It also applies to other little-used areas like parking lots and medians. This will help the environment not only by saving water, but by reducing reliance on pesticides and gas powered lawn equipment, while opening up space for native plants that naturally survive in Colorado’s climate and support our local birds and bees. “Water is Colorado’s most precious natural resource and as we face an uncertain future with ongoing drought and more demands, we must continue to act to secure our state’s water future,” said Roberts, sponsor of SB24-005 and SB24-197. "This year, we took steps to reduce unnecessary landscape water usage, implement the Colorado River Drought Task Force’s recommendations, and address the challenges to our water supply head-on. As these laws take effect, they position Colorado as a leader in effective water management, and help ensure the protection of the Colorado River and all our critical water resources." “With this law, we're cutting back on unnecessary water usage on nonfunctional turf used in medians, greenways and parking lots,” said McCormick, sponsor of SB24-005. “Water-wise landscaping conserves our precious water resources and encourages communities to embrace Colorado's natural landscapes. Our law sets us on a path forward to more effectively manage and preserve the water we all rely on.” “Cutting back on the amount of water we use on nonfunctional turf will help us conserve our precious water resources across the state,” said McLachlan, sponsor of SB24-005. “This law helps us effectively and efficiently manage our water resources by encouraging water-wise landscaping on little-used areas like parking lots and medians. We're stepping up to conserve water while embracing the native plants and species that thrive in Colorado." Outdoor watering of landscaping uses about half of all municipal water. Much of this is used to grow non-native turf grass, which requires large amounts of water to thrive. While some turf is used for parks, sports fields, and yards, much of it serves no community purpose, such as highway frontages and strips alongside industrial properties. The state has supported turf replacement as a key tool for water conservation, and now this bill focuses on limiting its installation in the first place. Also sponsored by Senator Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, SB24-005 encourages developers, city planners, and managers to choose plants that thrive in Colorado’s semi-arid climate, as opposed to non-native, water-intensive plants such as Kentucky bluegrass or invasive species.Sponsored by Roberts and Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, SB24-197 improves Colorado’s water supply by implementing several recommendations made by the Colorado River Drought Task Force. “Securing Colorado's water future is paramount. This law strategically implements recommendations from the Colorado River Drought Task Force to protect the Colorado way of life,” said McCluskie, sponsor of SB24-197. “Worsening drought conditions have jeopardized Colorado’s water future, and this bipartisan legislation works to address some of the challenges facing our water supply while preserving it for our state’s agriculture, outdoor recreation and household needs. I’m committed to tackling Colorado’s water supply challenges head-on, while working alongside our agriculture and coal-transition communities, to protect our water for generations to come.” Also sponsored by Senator Perry Will, R-New Castle, and Representative Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, the law implements recommendations including:
Expanding the Environmental Instream Flow Temporary Loan Program to allow the owner of a decreed storage water right to loan water to the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to preserve or improve the natural environment.
Expansion of Colorado’s Agricultural Water Rights Protection Program which creates opportunities for agricultural water rights holders to make water temporarily available for other uses while maintaining water in agriculture.
Protection of Industrial Water Rights for Hayden and Craig’s Power Generation Systems through 2050, which will allow the electric utilities or another entity to look into the viability of future energy generation technologies that could advance Colorado’s clean energy and greenhouse gas emission goals while keeping energy-producing jobs in the region.
Increased Access to Water Plan Implementation Grants for the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Nations which would allow the CWCB to waive or reduce matching fund requirements for grants to Tribal Nations and enterprises.
Since 2000, the Colorado River Basin, including the Colorado River and its tributaries in Colorado, has experienced unprecedented drought conditions – exacerbated by climate change – that have contributed to decreased water supplies. In response, lawmakers passed SB23-295, which created the Colorado River Drought Task Force and charged it with developing water policy recommendations for the General Assembly to consider.