The Colorado Watershed Assembly is seeking assistance to promote a critical source of funding for land and water conservation projects – the Colorado Watershed Protection Fund. Over the past five years the Fund has directly financed community projects to improve the health of our rivers, reservoirs, wetlands, forests and lands.

This vital source of state funding for conservation is at risk of expiring if citizen support does not increase in 2008.

The Colorado Watershed Protection Fund was first adopted by the General Assembly in 2002 on the premise that grassroots conservation groups in Colorado are committed to a collaborative approach in the restoration and protection of Colorado’s natural resources. Money from the Watershed Protection Fund is distributed to local projects through a competitive grant program.

Since 2004, Colorado citizens have directly contributed over $454,000 to the Fund — financed by the Colorado tax refund check-off program which provides taxpayers the opportunity to contribute a portion of their tax return to assist locally-based citizen groups in their efforts to protect our natural resources.

Each year organizations from across Colorado rely on the Watershed Protection Fund to support on-the-ground projects. These monies have helped fund 36 projects across the state including stream restorations, water quality monitoring, long-range watershed assessments, stream flow surveys, wildfire rehabilitation, and abandoned mine reclamation.

Despite successful projects, tax refund contributions have declined from $99,000 to $83,000 over the past four years. By Colorado state statute, if annual state income tax return donations fall below $75,000 during the upcoming tax season, organizations will lose this essential funding source.

When filing your 2007 Colorado State Income Tax Return contribute a portion of your return to the Colorado Watershed Protection Fund – Line #39 on the second page, under Checkoff Colorado. If an accountant does your taxes, please tell them you would like to contribute to the Colorado Watershed Protection Fund.

Project Examples

·         El Paso County: The Coalition for the Upper South Platte received a grant for fire rehabilitation and green forest restoration on the Hayman burn area. Work included efforts to mitigate soil erosion from burned lands, improve wildlife habitat and stream bank restoration through planting trees and vegetation, weed control, and educational initiatives designed to improve public understanding of fire, forest health, and watershed issues.

·         Boulder County: The James Creek Watershed Initiative was funded to remediate stream bank erosion within Jamestown’s domestic water supply.  It is estimated that the project reduced soil loss and sediment loading by an estimated 456 tons into Lefthand Creek.

·         Delta County: The North Fork River Improvement Association received funding to rehabilitate a ditch diversion on the North Fork of the Gunnison River. The project eliminates annual in-stream bulldozing of gravel dams and provides reliable irrigation water, while increasing in-stream flows and allowing for fish migration.

Money from the Colorado Watershed Protection Fund has been distributed to organizations throughout the state. Certainly, a project was completed near you. For more information please visit www.coloradowater.org/cwpf.