Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
CWCB approves WSRF grant for Durango pipeline; staff unveils new Water Funding Explorer mapping tool
Loading...
Summary
The board approved Water Supply Reserve Fund grants including a conditional approval for Durango’s 9-mile pipeline replacement; staff also demonstrated a new interactive Water Funding Explorer that centralizes CWCB grants, WSRF projects and application resources.
At its meeting, the Colorado Water Conservation Board approved two WSRF items brought by staff. Ben Wade presented an application from the City of Durango to replace a nine-mile pipeline to the College Mesa Treatment Plant after repeated breaks that sometimes interrupted supply for the city’s roughly 20,000 residents. Staff recommended full approval but proposed a condition: funds cannot be reimbursed until Durango achieves at least conditional CWCB staff approval of an updated water-efficiency plan and completes 10-51 conservation reporting.
The board approved staff’s recommendation by voice vote. Ben Wade explained the city was working on hiring a consultant and expected to deliver a draft plan to CWCB by July 2026; staff will hold reimbursements until the water-efficiency plan reaches conditional approval.
In a separate presentation, CWCB staff previewed the Water Funding Explorer, an online ESRI Experience Builder platform that maps Water Plan grants, WSRF projects and other funding sources statewide. Corinne Anderson and Elizabeth Scoder gave a guided tour showing filterable maps by basin and category, featured projects, FAQ pages and a grant calendar. Staff said the Explorer will be updated biannually and can be expanded to include loan program data and indicators of project completion status in future updates.
Why it matters: the Durango pipeline project addresses an aging critical conveyance and demonstrates CWCB’s attention to tying grant funding to water-efficiency planning. The Explorer centralizes funding information for applicants and regional grant managers, intended to improve application targeting and transparency.
Related actions: a motion to approve staff recommendations for items 12a and 12b passed by voice vote at the meeting.
