Together, we’re urging Congress to fully fund WaterSMART Programs to advance smart, proven solutions to safeguard water, wildlife, economies, and outdoor traditions 

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP), along with more than 100 partner organizations, is urging congressional appropriators to support programs that are essential to sustaining critical fish and wildlife habitat and enhancing resilience to prolonged drought conditions in Western watersheds. 

It’s difficult to overstate the ecological and economic importance of the Southwest’s major river systems, such as the Colorado and Rio Grande. These rivers are a lifeline for the region – they supply drinking water and power to tens of millions of Americans, irrigate crops that are distributed nationwide, and support fish and wildlife habitats that sustain thriving hunting and fishing opportunities as well as the 1.2 trillion-dollar outdoor recreation industry. However, as heat, drought, and weather extremes intensify across the West, the health of these rivers, and the communities, economies, and ecosystems that depend on them, are increasingly at risk. 

For this reason, it is crucial that Congress fully fund the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART programs before these lifelines reach a breaking point. 

Click HERE to urge your elected officials to support the WaterSMART program.

While Congress finalizes appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, TRCP is uniting and amplifying the voices of hunting, angling, and conservation minded stakeholders to advocate for continued investment in these vital programs. In a letter submitted this month, TRCP and 103 national, regional, state, and local organizations, representing a wide range of stakeholders across the Colorado and Rio Grande basins, urged Congress to fully fund the WaterSMART program. 

The popular WaterSMART program provides cost-shared funding for projects that protect fish and wildlife habitat while building ecological and community resilience to drought. Since 2010, it has supported 2,364 projects and studies in the West, resulting in an estimated 1.7 million acre-feet of freshwater savings per year, enough to supply 4.6 million people annually. Additionally, the program has helped leverage $8.75 billion in non-federal investments, significantly expanding the reach and impact of water conservation projects. 

WaterSMART funds have advanced proven water-saving solutions, such as upgraded irrigation systems, groundwater storage, and water reuse – all critical tools for communities across the West. These investments also support nature-based solutions that work to mitigate drought and wildfire impacts while enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. Many of the program’s projects offer the dual benefit of water conservation and habitat restoration, providing high returns on investment and helping to prevent emergency water crises, particularly in the Colorado and Rio Grande River basins. 

Highlighted WaterSMART Programs and On-the-Ground Impact 

$15.017 million for Basin Studies 

The Basin Studies Program supports collaborative planning to help partners address imbalances in water supply and demand. For example, the Rio Grande Basin Study, supported by more than 36 signatories, focuses on developing strategies to increase water management resilience under climate change scenarios. 

$8 million for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) 

CWMP helps communities form watershed groups to plan and implement projects that improve watershed health and fish and wildlife habitat. One such example is the Santa Cruz Watershed Collaborative in Tucson, Arizona, who used CWMP funding to strengthen local drought response efforts and increase water resilience while protecting habitat for numerous species such as quail and javelina. 

$6.5 million for the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program 

The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program provides cost-shared funding to states, Tribes, and stakeholders for large-scale aquatic restoration projects. In Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority used funding to build erosion control structures and in-stream habitat in the Lower Las Vegas Wash within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This project benefits multiple species, including the federally endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, the Yuma Ridgway’s rail, and the threatened, yellow-billed cuckoo, while improving spawning habitat for the razorback sucker. 

$54 million for WaterSMART Grants 

WaterSMART Grants fund a variety of water supply solutions, including the Environmental Water Resources Program (EWRP), which supports nature-based projects that deliver sustained water savings and ecosystem benefits. For example, the Chama Peak Land Alliance used EWRP funding to thin approximately 2,150 acres of forest to protect key source watersheds for the San Juan-Chama Project and the headwaters of the Rio Chama and Rio Brazos—efforts that also mitigate future wildfire impacts. 

As drought conditions in the West grow more severe, consistent annual funding for WaterSMART programs is more important than ever. TRCP and its partners across the Western U.S. are urging Congress to make this critical investment in our water future, for the health of our communities, ecosystems, and economies. 

Take action below and urge your elected officials to support the WaterSMART program.