Daines, Hickenlooper Introduce Bill to Protect Water Access, Reauthorize CWMP

• March 17, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) today introduced the "Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act." The bill reauthorizes the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) for four years, which will help address water management for Montana's local communities and tribal lands.

"Reliable access to clean water is a basic necessity for Montanans. This bipartisan bill provides a common sense solution to water management needs by funding CWMP and will help ensure our communities are equipped to face drought, wildfires, or other natural disasters," said Daines.

"We need to put local communities at the center of solving our evolving water issues and empower them to lead the way. When Coloradans work together to manage our water challenges, we protect watershed health and strengthen resilience against drought and floods," said Hickenlooper.

Read the bill text HERE.

Representative Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Statements of Support:

"The National Audubon Society supports the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act, which will extend this critical program and provide for improved funding accessibility and maximized watershed impacts. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program invests in building local capacity to identify and implement projects that address local water needs. We thank the sponsors for introducing this bipartisan bill to provide resources to help communities build drought resilience and improve wildlife habitat in a hotter and drier West," said Marnie Froimson, Senior Policy Manager for Western Water, National Audubon Society.

"The Cooperative Watershed Management Program has had a huge impact in improving the overall health of Colorado's watersheds and provides tremendous benefits to fish and wildlife. We applaud Senators Daines' and Hickenlooper's leadership in working to together to introduce the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026 ensuring that federal resources remain available for local watershed planning efforts that are critical in the development of projects designed to improve watershed function and resilience to wildfire and drought," said Alex Funk, Director of Water Resources, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

"We need to empower locally driven solutions to Western water management. That's why The Nature Conservancy supports the bipartisan Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act. It's essential that the Bureau of Reclamation continues to receive robust resources to support collaborative projects that will better manage Western waters. TNC works with the agency and our state partners to address the harmful effects of long-term drought and aridification on the West's agricultural producers, communities and Tribes, rural economies and nature. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program has a long track record of success, and we applaud Senators Daines and Hickenlooper for their leadership," said Stephanie Bailenson, US Federal Water Policy Team Lead.

Background:

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program is part of the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program and expires at the end of 2026. The "Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act" would reauthorize CWMP until 2031 and increase funding to $40 million per year. The program provides funding for local, non-regulatory watershed groups to address water management needs, develop strategies, and implement projects.

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