The CWCB supports watershed planning as well as projects designed to restore and protect watersheds.

The CWCB partners with numerous organizations to plan and undertake multi-objective projects designed to reduce flood hazards, stabilize and restore stream channels, provide habitat, reduce erosion and increase the capacity to utilize water. Inter- and intra-agency coordination, communication and prioritization are essential components of the CWCB’s efforts.

Specifically, the CWCB supports watershed protection and restoration efforts through the administration of: ­

• The Colorado Watershed Restoration Program, which provides grants for watershed/stream restoration and flood mitigation projects throughout the state; ­and
• The Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund, which provides grant money to mitigate the impacts of existing water supply facilities and help preserve a balance between development of the state’s resources and the protection of the state’s fish and wildlife resources.
• The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program is to help “…landowners, operators, and individuals implement emergency recovery measures to relieve imminent hazards to life or property created by a natural disaster that causes a sudden impairment of a watershed."
• The Invasive Phreatophyte Control Program (IPCP): The IPCP grant program is intended to provide cost share assistance to eligible entities to control and/or eradicate tamarisk (also known as salt cedar), Russian olive, or other riparian invasive phreatophytes that have degraded the state’s riparian areas, restricted channel capacity thereby increasing flood risk, and resulted in increased non-beneficial consumptive use of water. IPCP also incorporates funding for riparian re-vegetation/restoration after invasive removal. More information can be found here.

In addition, the basin roundtables currently are undertaking Phase II of the nonconsumptive needs assessment (NCNA) process, which seeks to identify projects or methods to address the basins’ nonconsumptive (environmental and recreational) needs. During Phase II, the roundtables will explore the following topics:

1. Existing protections/efforts for priority areas
2. Areas without protections that need further study
3. Strategies needed to support nonconsumptive priority areas
4. Areas where new flow or water level quantification is appropriate
5. Areas where a project, whether structural (e.g. river restoration) or nonstructural, can be identified and implemented
6. Areas where no action is needed at this time

More information about this process is available on the Nonconsumptive Needs page.

Master Plans For Watersheds Impacted by the September 2013 Floods

• Big Thompson Master Plan
• St. Vrain Master Plan
• Left Hand Master Plan and Mapbook
• Fourmile Creek Master Plan
• Little Thompson Master Plan and Appendices
• Fountain Creek & Cheyenne Creek Master Plan and Appendices
• Jamestown Master Plan
• Upper Coal Creek Master Plan
• Middle South Platte Draft Master Plan
• Fall River Draft Master Plan and Appendices
• Fish Creek Draft Master Plan and Appendices