Historic Shoshone Water Rights Agreement
Securing the Shoshone water right permanently protects the most senior, non-consumptive water right on the Colorado River, one of the highest-stakes water security efforts on the Western Slope, and a priority MCWC has tracked and supported through its Integrated Water Management Plan.
Why It Matters
Shoshone's flows sustain Endangered Species Act compliance for over 1,250 water projects, a $11.9 billion agricultural economy, and a $14.6 billion recreation economy along the Colorado River.
Impact Numbers
A single water right, decades in the making, now protects flows for an entire state's water future.
1,408 cfs (up to 1.02 million acre-feet per year) protected on the Colorado mainstem
20+ western Colorado governments and water entities supporting the effort
Over 1,250 Colorado water projects dependent on the flows this right protects
Budget
The Colorado River District agreed to purchase the water rights from Xcel Energy for $99 million in 2023. As of May 2026, $97.3 million of that total has been secured, including a $40 million federal award from the Department of the Interior and a $20 Million Colorado Water Conservation Board appropriation. MCWC's role is one of coalition support and IWMP alignment, not direct funding or execution.
Timeline
This effort reflects 20 years of regional support. Xcel Energy and the Colorado River District signed a Purchase & Sale Agreement on December 19, 2023. The Colorado Water Conservation Board appropriated $20 million toward the purchase on January 29, 2024. In November 2025, the CWCB voted unanimously to approve an Instream Flow Agreement, called one of the most consequential actions in the 50-year history of Colorado's Instream Flow Program, marking a major milestone toward closing the transaction.
Connection to IWMP
Securing the Shoshone water right is one of 55 priority actions identified in MCWC's Integrated Water Management Plan, and among the most consequential, protecting flows that benefit the entire watershed, not just a single project site.
Beneficiaries
| Endangered native fish habitat | Western Slope communities | Colorado's water-based economy |
|---|---|---|
| Consistent flows sustain the 15-Mile Reach near Grand Junction, critical habitat under the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. | All communities relying on the Colorado River for drinking water benefit from the water quality this water right protects. | Agricultural producers and the state's recreation economy both depend on the flow security this water right guarantees. |
Location
Colorado River mainstem, Glenwood Canyon and the 15-Mile Reach near Grand Junction
Status
In progress, advancing toward permanent protection, final fundraising and water court
Funders & Collaborators
Colorado River District
Xcel Energy
Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB)
Shoshone Water Right Preservation Coalition
Ute Water Conservancy District
Clifton Water District
Grand Valley Water Users Association
U.S. Department of Interior
Contributions from more than 20 local governments, water providers and irrigation organizations totaling nearly $16 million in local commitments
