In 2009, the Colorado General Assembly created the Wild and Scenic Rivers Fund to foster cooperative and collaborative processes aimed at the development of protections for river-dependent outstandingly remarkable values (“ORVs”). These protections would be intended an alternative to wild and scenic river designation under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, while also protecting Colorado’s ability to fully use its compact and decree entitlements.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board has developed terms and conditions for the use of these funds by alternative resource protection groups (or stakeholder groups). Current stakeholder groups that utilize these funds
include: 

• San Juan River Basin - The River Protection Workgroup
• Upper Colorado River - Upper Colorado River Wild & Scenic Stakeholder Group
• Lower Dolores River - Lower Dolores Plan Working Group, a subgroup of the Lower Dolores Dialogue