Colorado River Water Conservation District

What Colorado River Water Conservation District does

The Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRD, dba "Colorado River District") is a quasi-governmental water conservation district established in 1937 under Colorado state law, headquartered in Glenwood Springs. CRD operates across 15 Western Slope counties, holding statutory authority to protect, conserve, use, and develop water resources of the Colorado River basin. Its core asset base includes two district-owned reservoirs — Elkhead Reservoir and Wolford Mountain Reservoir — used for drought mitigation and strategic water releases, plus senior nonconsumptive Shoshone Water Rights (1902, 1929) currently being acquired through a $99 million Purchase and Sale Agreement with Xcel Energy signed in December 2023.

CRD's primary programs include the Community Funding Partnership (CFP), a grant program launched in 2021 that has invested $32 million across 130+ water projects, leveraging an additional $98 million in matching funds; the Yampa River Drought Response Program offering free supplemental agricultural water via lottery allocation; the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project; and demand management and drought contingency planning initiatives. It runs annual State of the River meetings across 11 communities (1,079 attendees in 2025), an Annual Water Seminar at Colorado Mesa University, and quarterly public board meetings.

Revenue is generated primarily through property taxes, supplemented by intergovernmental grants (federal via the Bureau of Reclamation, state via the Colorado Water Conservation Board), the Community Funding Partnership pass-through grants, and water leasing/augmentation fees. Key stakeholders include county governments (Garfield, Summit, Mesa, Eagle, Pitkin and others), municipalities (Glenwood Springs, Breckenridge, Gypsum, New Castle, Parachute, De Beque), agricultural producers, irrigation districts, conservation organizations, and educational institutions. CRD is governed by a Board of Directors and led by General Manager Andy Mueller, with a 2025-2030 Strategic Plan adopted in July 2025.

Name

Colorado River Water Conservation District

Legal name

Colorado River Water Conservation District

Website

https://coloradoriverdistrict.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Colorado River Water Conservation District is a quasi-governmental water conservation district serving 15 Western Colorado counties, managing reservoirs, water rights, and grant programs to protect Colorado River basin resources for agricultural, municipal, recreational, and environmental stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Management

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Disaster Risk Reduction Services (Flood Mitigation, Erosion Control, Landslide Stabilization) (AFAMAMAJ)

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Water rights preservation
• Reservoir operations
• Drought response programs
• Watershed funding grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Glenwood Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: The district has considered property tax increases to fund protection of West Slope water resources. Property taxes constitute a primary funding mechanism for the district's operations and water protection activities.
2. Community Funding Partnership Grants: The district administers a grant program that has invested $32 million since 2021 and leverages additional funding. The CFP provides grants to water projects across Western Colorado supporting agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, and water quality.
3. Water Leasing and Augmentation: The district leases water from Elkhead Reservoir to agricultural producers during drought conditions and manages water augmentation programs for West Slope communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Colorado River Water Conservation District is a quasi-governmental water conservation district that protects, conserves, uses, and develops water resources of the Colorado River basin across 15 Western Colorado counties. It operates two District-owned reservoirs (Elkhead and Wolford Mountain), administers the Community Funding Partnership grant program, manages drought response and water leasing programs, and leads the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project to permanently protect historic senior water rights. The District engages West Slope communities through State of the River meetings, the Annual Water Seminar, and policy advocacy at state, federal, and interstate levels.

Product overview

The Colorado River Water Conservation District (Colorado River District) operates as a water resource management organization rather than a software product company. Its portfolio consists of water management programs, infrastructure assets, and community engagement initiatives. The core offerings include the Community Funding Partnership grant program for water projects, the Yampa River Drought Response Program providing supplemental agricultural water, and the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project for permanent water rights protection. The District owns and operates two major reservoirs (Wolford and Elkhead) and conducts annual State of the River meetings and Water Seminar events for community education. Programs focus on water conservation, drought contingency planning, demand management, and endangered fish recovery across fifteen Western Slope counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Funding Partnership Grant program supporting development of multi-benefit water projects across Western Colorado, funding projects in agriculture, infrastructure, healthy rivers, watershed health, water quality, and conservation/efficiency. Open to qualifying local water entities, municipalities, agricultural organizations, and conservation groups via online application portal.
• Yampa River Drought Response Program Drought relief program offering supplemental agricultural water from Elkhead Reservoir to assist agricultural producers in the Yampa Valley during severe drought conditions. Water is provided at no cost to eligible applicants through a lottery-based allocation system, with initial allocation capped at 50 acre-feet per applicant.
• Water Lease Program Program allowing lease of water supplies held by the District for various beneficial uses across the Western Slope, including agricultural and municipal uses.
• Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project Landmark initiative to purchase and permanently protect the historic Shoshone Water Rights, comprising senior nonconsumptive water rights (1902 and 1929) that stabilize flows on the upper Colorado River and contribute 33,100 to 36,800 acre-feet annually to Colorado River baseflow in dry years.
• Elkhead Reservoir Water Supply District-owned reservoir providing water for agricultural relief programs (including the Yampa River Drought Response Program) and strategic releases to mitigate drought impacts in the Yampa River Valley.
• Wolford Mountain Reservoir Water Supply Major water storage reservoir owned by the District, used to help Western Slope communities manage water supplies during drought conditions through strategic releases.

Quantifiable outcome

• 420 acre-feet of supplemental agricultural water provided annually during drought years through Elkhead Reservoir releases
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Colorado Water Conservation BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Jointly filed water court application with CRD and PSCo for Shoshone Water Rights change. CWCB accepted perpetual interest in instream flow use and signed instream flow agreement. State allocated $20 million through HB24-1435 toward $99 million purchase.
• Breckenridge, Gypsum, Pitkin County, New Castle, Parachute, De BequemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025Multiple West Slope communities and counties joined the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation effort, contributing funding and political support. Pitkin County committed $1 million; combined efforts strengthen regional coalition.
• Colorado Mesa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2025CRD Board approved $300,000 grant to CMU's Ruth Powell Hutchins Water Center, matched by $300,000 from CMU. Partnership strengthens Water Center as West Slope hub for water policy and academic education, supporting hiring of executive director and long-term growth strategy.
• Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Signed $99 million Purchase and Sale Agreement in December 2023 for transfer of Shoshone Water Rights to Colorado River District. PSCo will continue hydropower production at Shoshone plant while CRD acquires water rights for permanent West Slope protection.
• Terror Ditch Pipeline Project (Delta County)minorOthers$80,000 grant to pipe 1.3 miles of ditches reducing water loss and mitigating infrastructure collapse risks, benefiting 500+ acres of agricultural land in Gunnison Basin.
• Upper Yampa Watershed and Stagecoach Reservoir Water Quality Model Project (Routt County)minorOthers$100,000 grant to develop decision-making tools addressing harmful algal blooms and improving water quality in Upper Yampa River Basin.
• U.S. Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper, Representatives Neguse, Pettersen, Crow, DeGetteminorOthersColorado congressional delegation submitted letter to Bureau of Reclamation supporting CRD's federal funding application for Shoshone water rights protection.
• Bear River Reservoir CompanyminorOthers$123,000 grant for Stillwater Reservoir repairs in Routt and Garfield counties addressing seepage issues and restoring storage capacity.
• Roaring Fork Community Development CorporationminorOthers$217,370 grant for 3 Mile Mobile Home Park drinking water upgrades in Garfield County, replacing aging infrastructure and enhancing water treatment.
• Orchard Mesa Irrigation DistrictminorOthersReceived $10.5 million Bureau of Reclamation funding for water-delivery infrastructure upgrades in Grand Valley. CRD advocated for this federal investment supporting 9,219 acres of agricultural land.
• Learning By Doing (Grand County)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative initiative with Grand County focused on water stewardship and community-based water management programs.
• River Basin RoundtablesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with basin roundtables across Western Colorado including Gunnison Basin Roundtable and Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District for coordinated water management.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Central Arizona Water Conservation District: Operates the Colorado River aqueduct system delivering Arizona's Colorado River allocation; directly comparable as a Colorado River basin water conservation district managing storage, delivery, and water rights on the same river system.
• Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District: Colorado water conservancy district operating Stagecoach Reservoir in Routt County; closely comparable in mission, geographic footprint, and reservoir-based drought response activities, including the Upper Yampa water quality project co-funded by CRD.
• Dolores Water Conservancy District: Colorado water conservancy district operating McPhee Reservoir in the Dolores River basin; comparable as a regional water district managing reservoir operations, irrigation delivery, and drought response in Western Colorado.
• Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association: Manages irrigation infrastructure in the Uncompahgre Valley of Western Colorado; comparable as an agricultural water management entity in CRD's 15-county service area with overlapping stakeholder base.
• Colorado Water Conservation Board: State agency administering Colorado's water resources, including instream flow programs and water rights policy; co-partner with CRD on the Shoshone agreement and broadly comparable in regulatory mandate over Colorado water.
• San Juan Water Commission: Multi-state commission coordinating Colorado River water management in the San Juan basin (NM, CO, UT); comparable as a regional water entity operating across state lines on Colorado River tributaries with similar rights-administration responsibilities.

Broad incumbents

• Southern Nevada Water Authority: Major multi-state Colorado River water authority serving Las Vegas; comparable as a large institutional Colorado River water manager with portfolio storage, treatment, and rights administration but at much greater scale.
• Denver Water: Largest water utility in Colorado serving the Denver metro area; comparable as a Colorado water provider managing reservoirs, water rights, and drought planning but with a municipal rather than multi-county basin mandate.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: Largest municipal water district in the US supplying Colorado River and State Water Project water to Southern California; comparable as a Colorado River basin stakeholder with extensive storage, treatment, and policy influence.

Others

• National Water Resources Association: National trade association for water districts, irrigation districts, and conservation districts; comparable as the broader ecosystem membership body for entities like CRD, providing policy advocacy and peer coordination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ColoradoWater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ColoradoRiverWaterConservationDistrict
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoradoRiverDist
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradoriverdistrict

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado River Water Conservation District