Optimization
What is The Freshwater Trust doing here?
Agricultural-to-municipal water transfers have dried approximately 600,000 acres (over 30%) of irrigated farmland in Colorado. These transfers pose significant challenges to farm communities: fragmentation of production areas, decline in the agricultural economy, ecosystem degradation, fiscal and land use challenges for local governments, and water delivery challenges to ditch companies. The Freshwater Trust (TFT) is helping communities quantify water transfer impacts and address those impacts through the development actionable mitigation plans. Optimizing remaining water supplies—to better serve agriculture and the environment—is a critical element of those plans.
Optimization programs support continued irrigation of high-value production areas; permanent conservation of irrigated farms; new business opportunities for farmers and farm industries; more efficient, modernized, water delivery systems; and restoration of wetlands, rangelands and natural areas.
Why is this important?
As cities endeavor to meet projected municipal and industrial water supply shortfalls by acquiring supplies from other users, the state wants guardrails to protect agriculture and natural systems. The Colorado Water Plan outlines three guardrails: (1) minimize adverse impacts to agricultural economies; (2) develop new multipurpose projects that offset transfers from agricultural uses or provide additional water to reduce current agricultural shortages; and (3) proactively identify and implement methods to protect and enhance environmental uses.
TFT’s decision support tools and its work developing optimization programs are helping partners and clients understand the value of reliable clean water and the full cost of recovery when water leaves an area. When people have the tools to accurately assess impacts, they gain new ability to prevent and mitigate those impacts—ensuring that agriculture, nature, and rural communities continue to thrive, and that Colorado can achieve its water plan goals.
How can you support these efforts?
One key way to support our efforts is through donations. TFT ensures that every dollar you give delivers measurable results that will make a difference.
You can also support us by subscribing to our newsletter and following or sharing our updates on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to help drive meaningful freshwater conservation.
Want to take a deeper dive?
Learn more about what we’re doing in the Colorado River basin by following these links:
