The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) announced today it is funneling $40 million into 136 water projects across the state as communities face a deepening drought emergency. The funding surge comes as winter snowpack levels hit historic lows and an unseasonable spring heat wave accelerated the runoff, leaving reservoirs and agricultural providers in a precarious position.

A significant portion of the grants targets immediate conservation, including a $2.3 million grant for Denver Public Schools to cover nearly half the cost of installing automated, high-efficiency irrigation across 105 school sites. Trinidad received over $227,000 for studies to repair and potentially enlarge the Monument Lake Reservoir. Additionally, Aurora is seeing a massive uptick in residents requesting assistance to transition thirsty bluegrass lawns to drought-tolerant landscapes.

Non-profit conservation agencies report that “demand for conservation programs is off the charts,” highlighting a statewide shift toward long-term water sustainability in the face of increasingly dry cycles.