SOLUTIONS

WATER

Summer Water Webinars

Last Friday of each month, May to August. Live events with Q&A, recordings available following. More info in the table below.

May 31st 2024

Mimicking Nature: Flood irrigation and watershed health

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June 28th 2024

Alternative Forage: The challenges and opportunities

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July 26th 2024

Roots and Rivers: The crucial connection between forests and watersheds

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Aug. 30th 2024

Reviving Through Regreening: Exploring opportunities for reversing desertification

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NEW RESEARCH

Data points to trust gap with agencies, willingness to adapt among producers

We asked more than 6,000 agricultural water users in the Colorado River Basin what they thought about the current situation, their use of and interest in conservation practices, and their preferences for how to address water shortages going forward. More than 1,000 responded. Explore the data and read our report on the findings.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The West's water crisis is a challenge landowners are rising to, with the right support

The West is facing increasingly frequent and critical water shortages. Climate change, drought, fire, population growth and development are accelerating the challenge. These shortages, including diminishing surface waters and aquifers, pose an immediate and major risk to landowners.
 
At the same time, because landowners control much of the West’s water and the management of its watersheds, we are also key to finding and implementing solutions.
 
Yet, current policies disincentivize water conservation, water sharing and watershed stewardship. Though we are primary stakeholders, landowners often find we lack a voice in decision-making. Our input and participation hold the potential to make a significant and positive difference in outcomes. 

NEED HELP?

PLACE-BASED COLLABORATIVES

HELP FINDING SUPPORT FOR WATERSHED RESTORATION

The water crisis in the Colorado River basin is big news, but watershed and wetland restoration practices that could make a big difference are underutilized across the basin. WLA currently has resources to directly assist place-based collaboratives and others to apply for funding and access the technical expertise needed to execute these projects at scale. If you have questions, needs or otherwise want to get involved, contact us!

LANDOWNERS

STAY ENGAGED ON THE ISSUES

Water has been and will increasingly be the single biggest challenge to the future of the West. WLA is working on water issues at all levels, from the soil surface and riverbed to the halls of power in state capitals and Washington, D.C.

Stay in the loop on workshops, field tours, news, updates and resources relating to this big challenge. Add your voice to our call for practical place-based solutions.

What landowners are already doing

Stewardship with Vision: David Spicer

See how David Spicer’s inspiring water stewardship has helped prevent a species from being listed as endangered in this Nevada desert valley.

Stewardship with Vision: Jeff Laszlo

Watch the immense transformation wrought on the Granger Ranches by Jeff Laszlo's commitment to restoring the wetland hydrology of O'Dell Creek in the Madison Valley of Montana.

Agua es Vida

This film begins up high in the Taos watershed and then takes us on a journey through the community of farmers and ranchers who depend on the acequias for their livelihood, and helps viewers understand acequias as a system of governance that, when well-attended and maintained, helps ensure a healthy community, healthy lands and sufficient water for all.

Headwaters of the Colorado Initiative

A collaborative endeavor to improve forest, range and watershed function across jurisdictional lines in the Little Snake and Yampa River drainages.

Water Resources

Funding Opportunities

While we know that implementation of critical water projects ultimately comes down to the local level, federal funding is an important resource, providing landowners and communities with the money they need to do the work. Historic federal funding made available via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is available to help meet this need. Western Landowners Alliance is committed to helping landowners and landowner-led place-based groups access these funds.

 

Reach out for more information.

Current Funding Opportunities

Bucket 2 Environmental Drought Mitigation Funding Opportunity (B2E2)

Source:

The Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Basin Region is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for environmentally oriented projects that include additional water savings benefits within the Upper Colorado River…

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Colorado Business Builder: Small Grants

Source:

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Centers are accepting applications for Small Grants up to $10,000 to support small to mid-scale Colorado food and farm businesses. This Small Grants program…

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Western Water and Working Lands Framework for Conservation Action

Source:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is laying the foundation to help producers conserve water, address climate change and build drought resilience in the West through a new framework: The…

DETAILS

New Mexico River Stewardship Program

Source:
Water

The goal of the River Stewardship Program is to fund projects that enhance the health of rivers by addressing the root causes of poor water quality and stream habitat. There…

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Groundwater RCPP NRCS Funding

Source:

Producers within the project area of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District or the Trinchera Subdistrict that are interested in implementing conservation projects on their private agricultural operation have until…

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Southwest Rivers Headwaters Fund 2025

Source:

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is requesting proposals to restore, protect and enhance aquatic and riparian species of conservation concern and their habitats in the headwaters of the…

DETAILS

Publications

Download these guidance materials

Agricultural Water Users’ Preferences for Addressing Water Shortages in the Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River Basin is in crisis. There is no longer enough water for all of those who ...

2023 National Policy Platform

As landowners and land managers, we recognize that well-managed working lands are the cornerstones of both human communities ...

Western water conservation and drought mitigation on private working lands

Policy opportunities in the farm bill and beyond The western United States continues to face extended and increasingly ...
2017 Water Rights

Water Rights in the West

What every landowner needs to know Few things are as crucial to ranch operations as water. Getting a ...

Stewardship with Vision

Caring for New Mexico’s Streams Private stewardship of Western land and water plays a vital role in the ...

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