A state and nonprofit partnership building on years of collaboration will empower regions across Colorado to plan for a water-secure future.
DENVER -- The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), in partnership with the Sonoran Institute, is proud to announce the Water Secure Communities Program. This new statewide initiative, launched in July 2025, builds on a longstanding partnership between the state agency and nonprofit organization to help communities address long-term water challenges through collaborative regional planning. The program will support local and regional leaders in identifying water challenges, setting shared priorities, and advancing actionable strategies to strengthen resilience and ensure long-term water security.
“At the CWCB, our mission is to conserve, develop, protect, and manage Colorado’s water for present and future generations—and that mission is at the heart of this program,” said Lauren Ris, CWCB Director. “This partnership advances the Colorado Water Plan’s goals by empowering regions to plan collaboratively for a water-resilient future. By investing in local leadership and cross-sector coordination, we’re laying the groundwork for long-term drought resilience and sustainable water use across Colorado.”
Developed with guidance from an advisory board of experts in drought, water, agriculture, and land use planning, the Water Secure Communities program will combine regional policy analyses, tailored training curricula, and technical assistance to support communities in creating actionable Water Security Roadmaps. These roadmaps will be created through a workshop series akin to the Growing Water Smart program, where diverse regional leaders will collaborate through facilitated sessions to identify the most important water security issues in their region. Each roadmap will identify water resource opportunities, outline collaborative, community-driven strategies, and connect participants to resources – both funding and technical support – needed to move from planning to implementation.
This project sets the vision for water secure communities across Colorado – communities that can anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from acute drought and long-term water scarcity while maintaining essential services and economic vitality. Water secure communities will proactively manage their supply, use water strategically, and work across jurisdictions and sectors to secure a resilient water future for all.
“Water Secure Communities builds on the proven success of Growing Water Smart by helping regions take the next step—from integrating water and land use planning to building actionable, community-driven roadmaps for long-term water security,” said Meryl Corbin, Growing Water Smart Program Director. “It’s about equipping local leaders with the tools, data, and partnerships they need to work across boundaries and create lasting solutions tailored to their region’s unique challenges.”
The Water Security Communities program will host the first regional kickoff in mid to late 2026. Communities interested in participating or learning more about the program can connect with Dany Garcia Moreno, Water Secure Communities Program Manager at Sonoran Institute, dgarcia@sonoraninstitute.org or Emily Adrid, Water Planning and Climate Impacts Specialist at CWCB, emily.adrid@state.co.us. To learn more about the Colorado Water Plan and Growing Water Smart, please visit: Colorado Water Plan | DNR CWCB; Growing Water Smart.
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