Trump Administration Releases Key Funds For Colorado River Water Project

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette

The Trump administration on Friday released $40 million, clearing the way for a water district and its partners to finish funding the purchase of some of the state’s most senior Colorado River water rights, Gov. Jared Polis announced.

Federal funding for the Shoshone water rights owned by Public Service Company, a division of Xcel Energy, was approved by the Biden administration in 2024 through the Inflation Reduction Act.

An executive order issued shortly after President Donald Trump took office in January 2025 put that funding on hold.

With the $40 million in federal funding on its way, the project’s funding now stands at $97 million, close enough to its $99 million total cost that the Colorado River Conservation District can move into the project’s next phase.

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