January 17, 2023
Voluntary program to save water for Colorado River
SALT LAKE CITY (January 17, 2023) — The Colorado River Authority of Utah and the Upper Colorado River Commission have launched a program to allow farmers and other water users to conserve water without losing their water rights or livelihoods.
Why it matters
The System Conservation Pilot Program (SCPP)reduces water consumption in the Colorado River System through temporary, voluntary, and compensated water conservation actions.
How it works
Participation in the SCPP is voluntary and compensation is calculated from the amount of consumptive water use savings compared to previous years. The program is funded through a portion of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 allotted to the Bureau of Reclamation and is administered by the Upper Colorado River Commission and the Colorado River Authority of Utah.
Water users who are interested in participating would temporarily reduce consumption of historically beneficially used water and lease conserved water to the SCPP program through a contract with the Upper Colorado River Commission. The Colorado River Authority of Utah will work with the Upper Colorado River Commission and applicants throughout the submittal, review, and approval process.
Timeline
The SCPP Request for Proposals was released mid-December and proposals are due on March 1. Open information sessions hosted by the Authority will be held virtually on January 6th, 2023, in person in Price on January 10th, 2023, and in person in Roosevelt on January 12th, 2023.
Take action
For more information on the SCPP and how to participate, visit cra-utah.org/resources/scpp or contact Lily Bosworth at lbosworth@utah.gov or 801-824-9037.