Committee advances CWCB projects bill to appropriations, citing cash‑funded loans and grants
March 30, 2026 | 2026 Legislature CO, Colorado
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The House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee moved House Bill 13‑38 to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendation and a unanimous recorded vote, advancing the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s annual projects and financing package.
Sponsor Representative McCormick told the committee the bill is the CWCB’s routine funding vehicle and stressed it “has 0 impact to the general fund,” describing the approach as cash‑funded and revolving: loan repayments generate interest earnings that support new projects. “This uses the CWCB cash funds, and most of these funds are available as the result of interest that has been earned on water project financing,” she said.
CWCB director Lauren Riss and finance section chief Kirk Russell described the bill’s primary revenue and program elements. Riss said the bill includes water‑plan grant dollars and forecasting funding, noting that some of the grant money comes from tax revenue on sports betting. “I want to emphasize that the funding for the projects in this bill are all cash funded,” Riss said. She highlighted $37,700,000 in water‑plan grant funding, $2,500,000 for streamflow forecasting, and cited a $151,000,000 loan for the Halligan Reservoir enlargement project.
Co‑prime sponsor Representative Ann Mel Winter framed the measure as central to drought resilience and water security. Winter summarized project allocations, saying the bill includes funding for forecasting, water‑plan action items, and a $5,000,000 line for wildfire‑ready watershed efforts.
Committee members asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the witness phase. With no amendments offered, Representative McCormick formally moved the bill to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation; Representative Winter seconded. The clerk recorded the roll call; the committee reported the motion passed (clerk’s roll call recorded as 13‑0).
The bill will next be considered by the Committee on Appropriations for further fiscal review and any floor‑level amendments.
Sponsor Representative McCormick told the committee the bill is the CWCB’s routine funding vehicle and stressed it “has 0 impact to the general fund,” describing the approach as cash‑funded and revolving: loan repayments generate interest earnings that support new projects. “This uses the CWCB cash funds, and most of these funds are available as the result of interest that has been earned on water project financing,” she said.
CWCB director Lauren Riss and finance section chief Kirk Russell described the bill’s primary revenue and program elements. Riss said the bill includes water‑plan grant dollars and forecasting funding, noting that some of the grant money comes from tax revenue on sports betting. “I want to emphasize that the funding for the projects in this bill are all cash funded,” Riss said. She highlighted $37,700,000 in water‑plan grant funding, $2,500,000 for streamflow forecasting, and cited a $151,000,000 loan for the Halligan Reservoir enlargement project.
Co‑prime sponsor Representative Ann Mel Winter framed the measure as central to drought resilience and water security. Winter summarized project allocations, saying the bill includes funding for forecasting, water‑plan action items, and a $5,000,000 line for wildfire‑ready watershed efforts.
Committee members asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the witness phase. With no amendments offered, Representative McCormick formally moved the bill to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation; Representative Winter seconded. The clerk recorded the roll call; the committee reported the motion passed (clerk’s roll call recorded as 13‑0).
The bill will next be considered by the Committee on Appropriations for further fiscal review and any floor‑level amendments.
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