MEDIA UPDATE: Colorado Water Plan Will Now Cost $40 Billion?

On August 11, Susan Greene from the Colorado Independent broke this story:
“PARCHED: Anticipated tab for state water plan doubles in less than two years“

The price of implementing the Colorado Water Plan is now estimated to be $40 billion.

There’s lots of interesting quotes in the article — from the Walton Family Foundation, the Governor, and the new Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Becky Mitchell. There’s also some speculation about where the $40 billion could come from — taxes, bonds, etc.

In the article, Gary Wockner from Save The Colorado and Save The Poudre also calls for more “Action” on water conservation. So far, Hickenlooper and the Plan have helped get two new dams permitted (though they still face legal battles), but very little has been done to further invest in water conservation at the State level which was a big promise made by Hickenlooper, James Eklund, and throughout the Plan. Recall when Hickenlooper said in his State of the State: “Every discussion about water ought to start with conservation.”

That hasn’t happened.

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