A recent comprehensive survey of farmers and ranchers in the Colorado River Basin unveiled critical insights into the potential for water conservation in the region. The findings, presented jointly by the Western Landowners Alliance (WLA) and the University of Wyoming, spotlight a substantial “trust gap” between ag water users and state and federal agencies. It appears most individuals in the agricultural community are deeply concerned about water shortages and have already implemented some water-saving measures. However, the effectiveness of recent state and federal initiatives to fund conservation in the Basin has been hindered by a lack of alignment with the preferences of local communities.
The full survey report is titled “Agricultural Water Users’ Preferences for Addressing Water Shortages in the Colorado River Basin.” WLA Chief Program Officer and co-author of the study, Hallie Mahowald emphasized that people overwhelmingly favor collaborative conservation and management programs led by familiar local organizations. The call for local involvement is one of the key takeaways from the survey that involved more than 1,000 participants.
Conducted from October 2022 to March 2023, the survey also revealed a glaring lack of awareness among farmers and ranchers regarding available federal and state funding options for supporting water conservation practices. Nearly 80 percent of respondents were unaware of the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program, which aims to provide funding for improving water infrastructure in irrigation districts and related entities. Many respondents to the survey also reported an unfamiliarity with the Colorado River System Conservation Pilot Program, a drought-response effort by the Upper Colorado River Commission.
In terms of potential solutions, the majority of survey participants were hesitant to adopt water conservation practices within formal demand management or system conservation programs. They also displayed a general aversion to water transfers as a solution to water shortages, except for temporary transfers between agricultural water users. WLA CEO, Lesli Allison said the findings can serve as a roadmap to better aligning water supply and demand in the basin, emphasizing the need to work with landowners through trusted local partners to achieve mutually beneficial solutions.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West