Hickenlooper, Daines Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Water Access, Protect Clean Water

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act to reauthorize the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) for five years and help improve water management for Colorado's local communities and tribal lands.

"We need to empower local communities to solve our evolving water issues. The federal government is not the solution," said Hickenlooper. "When Coloradans work together to manage our water challenges, we protect watershed health and strengthen resilience against drought and floods"

"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.

The CWMP, which is part of the Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program, 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.

"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," said Alex Funk, Director of Water Resources, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. "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."

"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

Hickenlooper strongly supports watershed health initiatives and leads legislation to help communities better respond to extreme drought. He introduced and helped pass the Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act out of the Senate to extend a conservation pilot program supporting water drought management conservation projects along the Colorado River. Hickenlooper also introduced the bipartisan Water Project Navigators Act to equip rural communities with grant navigators to secure more resources for water projects that improve water efficiency, reduce water consumption, and enhance ecosystem resilience.

Full text of the bill available HERE.

###