The mission of the Colorado Water Trust is to restore and protect streamflows in the state of Colorado. Because Colorado law mandates that only the State may hold an instream flow water right for environmental purposes, the Trust relies on the time, expertise and funding of the State instream flow program to evaluate, monitor, and acquire water for instream flows. The instream flow program is funded primarily through principal and interest payments made by local governmental entities for long-term, low interest State loans for water projects.
This source of funding for the instream flow program is threatened by the Amendment 61, a measure on the November ballot, which would severely limit the ability of local governmental entities to seek long-term loans from the State. Passage of Amendment 61 would jeopardize the State’s ability to provide staff expertise and funding to evaluate potential streamflow benefits identified by the Trust. In addition, the significant reductions in the general State budget created by Amendment 61 could result in further reductions in the instream flow program as funds are transferred to make up for other shortfalls.
If Amendment 61 is adopted, the State may no longer have the funding to act on opportunities identified by the Trust to improve river health by acquiring water rights. In short, if the State instream flow program is unfunded, then the Trust’s acquisition program will fail, and streams in Colorado will remain dry.
The Colorado Water Trust Board of Directors asks voters to show their support for the health of Colorado’s rivers by voting NO on Amendment 61.