Colorado River System Conservation Pilot
Active
- Assistance listing
- 15.567
- Agency
-
Bureau of Reclamation
Department of the Interior
- Grant awards
- 6 $251,658,182 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 14-0680-0-1-301
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation awards grants under the Colorado River System Conservation Pilot program (CFDA 15.567) to fund conservation projects that reduce water consumption or restore ecosystems in the Colorado River Basin, with the most recent award issued September 18, 2025.
The program funds voluntary, compensated reductions in consumptive water use; pressurized conveyance infrastructure and metering systems that reduce agricultural and municipal water withdrawals; water-rights retirement programs; regional water-system interconnections to improve redundancy and operational flexibility; and drought-contingency planning and implementation activities across the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basin. Recent awards show emphasis on agricultural efficiency upgrades, groundwater management, and system-scale infrastructure that creates operational redundancy during drought. All recipients must be state, Tribal, regional, or local public entities managing water resources.
The Bureau of Reclamation is the sole funding agency, holding all six awards in the portfolio. Assistance is provided predominantly as Project Grants (83 percent of awards) with one Cooperative Agreement (17 percent). Combined federal dollars obligated total $251.7 million across six awards issued since May 2023. Award magnitudes range from approximately $1.5 million to $154 million. Recent awards include $10.6 million to Orchard Mesa Irrigation District for design and construction of 8.4 miles of pressurized pipelines to reduce consumptive demand by up to 6,900 acre-feet per year while supporting recovery of four threatened and endangered native fish species; $154 million to Salt River Project for an interconnection facility between the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project and Central Arizona Project systems to improve regional water-system flexibility and enable movement of up to 360,000 acre-feet annually; $45.6 million to the Upper Colorado River Commission for temporary system conservation pilot activities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and $1.95 million to Kansas for implementation of a voluntary water-rights transition assistance program targeting critical aquifer depletion zones.
Funding authority under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act expires September 30, 2026. The program may be renewed annually through that date. No open grant opportunities are currently posted in the source. The portfolio shows accelerating activity: two awards in 2023 and four awards in 2025, with all recent awards concentrated in the final three months of 2025.
Objective and description
- Objective
This program supports conservation projects that create "system water" through voluntary compensated reductions in water use or provides environmental benefits or restoration of ecosystems or habitats in the Colorado River Basin. Includes Drought Co
- Description
The program is designed to improve water reliability, strengthen water supplies, and foster resilience to drought conditions within the Colorado River Basin. Funding comes from two major federal laws-the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-which support modernizing water infrastructure, expanding and enhancing water supplies, and restoring ecosystems or habitats. Targeted support backs projects that address challenges from strained water sources by strengthening conservation practices and enhancing sustainability. Investments in planning, design, and construction enable communities to use water more efficiently and ensure reliable supplies over time, helping to reduce pressure on existing systems, improve drought preparedness, and promote responsible stewardship of water resources. Assistance Listing 15.567 is available to state, Tribal, regional, and local public entities that manage water resources. This program stands out by combining two historic federal investments, accelerating projects that bring both immediate and long-term benefits to areas facing drought.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligibility of the Upper Colorado River Commission established through PL 117-328.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Pursuant to PL 117-328, participation in the Pilot Program is limited to Entitlement Holders in the Lower Colorado Division States and Colorado River Water Users in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
- Uses of assistance
Pursuant to PL117-328 - Pilot projects are authorized to be funded through grants to public entities that use water from the Colorado River Basin for municipal purposes for projects that are implemented by 1 or more non-Federal entities or grants or other appropriate financial agreements to provide additional funds for renewing or implementing water conservation agreements that are in existence on the date of enactment of this Act.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Authority under PL 117-58 and PL 117-169 expires September 30, 2026.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Eligibility established through PL 117-328.
- Award procedure
Financial Assistance Grants Officer determines awards based on recommendations from the program manager.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project.
- Renewals
Program may generally be renewed on an annual basis, not to exceed September 30, 2024.
Grant awards
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement And Power District | $154,000,000 | 61% |
| 2 | Upper Colorado River Commission | $83,700,776 | 33% |
| 3 | Orchard Mesa Irrigation District | $11,982,406 | 5% |
| 4 | Kansas Department Of Agriculture | $1,975,000 | 1% |
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2025 | $10,468,389 |
| FY2024 | $59,393,192 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 15.567?
Assistance Listing 15.567 is Colorado River System Conservation Pilot, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Reclamation (Department of the Interior).
What is the CFDA number for Colorado River System Conservation Pilot?
Its CFDA number is 15.567: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 15.567 awarded?
6 grant awards under 15.567 have obligated $251,658,182 in federal funds to 4 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 15.567?
The recipients obligated the most under Colorado River System Conservation Pilot are Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement And Power District ($154,000,000), Upper Colorado River Commission ($83,700,776) and Orchard Mesa Irrigation District ($11,982,406).
How much did 15.567 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 15.567 obligated $10,468,389 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
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