Colorado River Drought Task Force

2023 Drought Task Force

The Final Report of the Colorado River Drought Task Force is available HERE (.pdf)

About the Colorado River Drought Task Force:

During Colorado’s 2023 legislative session, Senate Bill 23-295 passed the state legislature with near-unanimous support in both the House and Senate and was signed by Governor Polis on May 20, 2023, officially creating the Colorado River Drought Task Force.

The Task Force was comprised of 17 voting members representing water users on both sides of the Continental Divide and one non-voting chairperson and met from July to December, 2023. Along with the critical perspective provided by a Tribal Sub-Task Force, the group was established to develop actionable recommendations for the 2024 General Assembly on steps the state can take to protect the Colorado River and all who rely on its water. As per the request of the legislature, these recommendations should address how the state can provide greater tools for Colorado water managers responding to drought – tools that protect local agriculture and communities while maintaining Colorado’s interstate commitments on the Colorado River.

Related Resources from the Colorado River District

Read the Colorado River District’s Guiding Principles for Participation in the Colorado River Drought Task Force.

 View the Guiding Principles HERE (.pdf).