FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2026
CONTACT:
Lindsay DeFrates, Dep. Director of Communications/PIO – 970.456.8973; ldefrates@crwcd.org
West Slope Soil Conservation Districts Join Growing Coalition to Protect Shoshone Water Rights
Five conservation districts have committed a total of $30,000 in funding towards the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Five soil conservation districts from across the West Slope have joined the growing effort to permanently protect the historic Shoshone water rights, adding their financial support to the Colorado River District’s $99 million purchase agreement with Xcel Energy. The Eagle County Conservation District most recently committed $10,000, joining the De Beque-Plateau Valley Soil Conservation District, Bookcliff Conservation District, South Side Conservation District, and Mount Sopris Conservation District, each of whom pledged $5,000 to the project.
Soil conservation districts have long played an important role in working with landowners to manage the land and water resources that sustain western Colorado communities. Their support for the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project reflects a growing recognition that preserving the Shoshone water rights is critical to productive agriculture, local economies, and long-term natural resource stewardship for the West Slope.
“These conservation districts understand what is at stake on the West Slope, and we deeply appreciate their contributions to this effort,” said Amy Moyer, chief of strategy for the Colorado River District. “Their support underscores that protecting the Shoshone water rights is about more than one stretch of river. It is about keeping water on the West Slope to support agriculture, communities, and the working landscapes that define this region.”
“Our work is focused on giving landowners, agricultural producers, and water rights holders the support they need to care for the land and natural resources that make this region thrive,” said Allegra Waterman-Snow, program manager for the Eagle County Conservation District. “That is why supporting the Shoshone water rights matters. It helps safeguard the river flows that support our environment, working lands, and West Slope communities.”
The Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Coalition, led by the Colorado River District, includes a growing list of over 100 partners, including local governments, water entities, and regional partners from across the Western Slope and beyond. Together, these partners are helping advance a once-in-a-generation effort to secure permanent protection for one of the most important water rights on the Colorado River.
The Shoshone hydroelectric plant, located in Glenwood Canyon, holds large, nonconsumptive senior water rights that date back to 1902. These rights are essential to supporting flows in the Colorado River, benefiting agriculture, recreation, rural economies, and water users on Colorado’s West Slope and beyond.
In December 2023, the Colorado River District signed a purchase and sale agreement with Xcel Energy to acquire and permanently protect the water rights. This agreement would safeguard future flows, regardless of the Shoshone plant’s operational status.
Learn more about the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Coalition and campaign at KeepShoshoneFlowing.org.
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