November 20, 2025
Golden, Colo. (Nov. 20, 2025) — American Rivers, Audubon Rockies, Conservation Colorado, Trout Unlimited and Western Resource Advocates applauds the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s decision to approve the acquisition of an interest in the Shoshone water rights to preserve healthy flows in the Colorado River.
Yesterday’s decision is one of the most significant actions the Board has taken since the state’s instream flow program was first created in 1973 to help protect rivers in Colorado.
The Shoshone water rights acquisition will be one of the largest instream flow water rights in the state. Allowing this water to remain in the stream will benefit hundreds of miles of essential river habitat and several species of fish that are found only in the Colorado River Basin and nowhere else on Earth. The acquisition will also provide much needed water security for communities, farmers, ranchers and businesses grappling with the effects of drought and climate change.
Flows on the Colorado River have declined by roughly 20% over the last two decades. The Shoshone hydroelectric plant holds some of the oldest water rights on the river. For decades, the plant has diverted water to generate hydropower and returned it to the river where it benefits the environment, downstream communities, farms and ranches. However, the plant is more than 100 years old and there is no guarantee that this water would stay in the river if the Shoshone plant was to cease operations.
The Colorado River Water Conservation District is working to purchase the Shoshone water rights and lease that water back to the plant while it is in operation. The initiative has received overwhelming public support with dozens of parties endorsing the project and communities across the state raising millions of dollars toward the purchase. The Board’s decision will allow the water to be kept in the stream to maintain healthy river flows long after the plant closes.
Yesterday’s decision is a major step toward preserving the river flows that have supported our communities, farmers, ranchers, local raft companies, fish and wildlife for decades. We must keep up the momentum, finalize funding and secure water court approvals to take advantage of this once in a generation opportunity.
