SOLUTIONS

WATER

RESOURCES

Important Info

Compensated water conservation

Demand management programs are compensated, temporary, and voluntary reductions of consumptive water use. If you're hearing a lot about these programs, you're not alone. Here is everything you need to know about these programs.

Landowner Guides and more

Check out our Publication Library for technical guides on water and riparian management issues.

Free guides by landowners for landowners

Glossary

Western Water from A to Z

Western water law, policy and stewardship is home to an impressive amount of jargon. To help you decipher program descriptions, funding opportunities, policy conversations and more, we put together this helpful glossary of water terms.

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. 

Take Action!

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.

LANDOWNER-LED 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 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.

Look Back at 2025's Water and Working Lands Webinars

These events were presented and recorded live via zoom. You can watch the recording and find a recap post at the links below.

January 15, 2025

Restoring the Western Water Cycle: Can we manage land and water to improve the water cycle in the West?

MORE INFO

February 12, 2025

Beneath Our Feet: Are groundwater easements a solution for the west?

MORE INFO

March 19, 2025

Neighboring Through Drought: Water sharing solutions and what they might mean for the West

MORE INFO

April 16, 2025

Irrigating for Food and Fish: Water infrastructure and healthy streams

MORE INFO

May 14, 2025

Soil Solutions to Water Scarcity: Making every drop count

MORE INFO

July 2, 2025

Surface Water Conservation Programs: What are they and are they working?

MORE INFO

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

Partnerships for Aquatic and Watershed Restoration

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USDA Forest Service is looking to address aquatic and watershed restoration needs and empower local communities and partners to assist with implementation of activities. Partnerships will help to address restoration…

DETAILS

Colorado Business Builder: Small Grants

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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…

DETAILS

Western Water and Working Lands Framework for Conservation Action

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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

2024 Catalyst Fund

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The Catalyst Fund strives to accelerate the pace and practice of landscape conservation and stewardship across the United States by making strategic investments in strengthening the collaborative capacity of place-based,…

DETAILS

Water Supply Reserve Fund Basin Grants

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The Water Supply Reserve Fund is designed to provide grants and loans to assist Colorado water users in addressing critical water supply issues and interests. The South Platte Basin Roundtable (SPBRT)…

DETAILS

Colorado Open Lands Aquifer Recovery Opportunity

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Colorado Open Lands is announcing a funding opportunity through the Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) and their Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for Aquifer Recovery. Producers within the project…

DETAILS

Publications

Download these guidance materials

Rock Weirs

Water Resource Roundup #1 Rock weirs are structures that act to slow water down in streams or ditches, ...

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 ...

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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