Each year the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) hosts an annual workshop that provides state and federal agencies and other interested parties an opportunity to recommend stream reaches or natural lakes for inclusion in the State’s Instream Flow (ISF) Program. CWCB staff will provide an overview of the ISF Program and the New Appropriation process used by CWCB to obtain new ISF water rights. The entities that make ISF recommendations will present information regarding the location of new recommendations as well as other supporting data. Interested stakeholders will be able to provide input and ask questions. This workshop will also include an update of ISF recommendations from previous years.
The second half of this workshop will provide information on the ISF Acquisition Process and the various tools available to work with willing water right owners to use existing water rights for instream flow uses, restoring water in Colorado streams and rivers. Next, the Colorado Water Trust will present the Request for Water, a partnership with the CWCB to implement a strategic approach to ISF water acquisitions. The Request for Water is designed to:
- Proactively invite offers to acquire water rights for ISF use from willing owners on a voluntary basis;
- Provide a user-friendly mechanism for water rights owners to investigate working with CWCB and the Water Trust on ISF acquisitions;
- Streamline acquisition transaction processes and increase efficiency;
- Facilitate implementation of Colorado’s Water Plan objectives;
- Add flows to river segments in need in coordination with agricultural and other uses.
For questions on ISF New Appropriations please contact Brandy Logan (brandy.logan@state.co.us) or contact Lisa Bright-Unger (lisa.bright-unger@state.co.us) with questions on ISF Acquisitions.
This year’s workshop will be held virtually on February 11, 2026, from 4:00-5:00 PM. Interested parties can attend via Zoom.
Instream Flow Workshop Zoom info:
Time: Feb 11, 2026 04:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89749380960?pwd=zgUnivYTxnXBxvisIGK8ImfP09kY3n.1
Meeting ID: 897 4938 0960
Passcode: 3fZ9JV
One tap mobile
+17193594580,,89749380960#,,,,*911745# US
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Join instructions
https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/89749380960/invitations?signature=M0BM9jiQRE7W5V_5QO3A-sxEFbvKUns0YfM-qvmA07k
If you are unable to attend this meeting a recording will be posted on CWCB’s website.
For more information about the Instream Flow Program please visit: https://cwcb.colorado.gov/focus-areas/ecosystem-health/instream-flow-program