The mission of Watershed Management Planning (WMP) is to help protect existing water uses and watershed health in the Upper Gunnison Basin in the face of pressure from increased water demands and permanent reductions in water supply.

A Watershed Management Plan identifies water quality and quantity problems in a particular watershed, proposes solutions, and creates a strategy for putting those solutions in action. Watershed Management Plans take a long-term, comprehensive approach and evolve over time with changing conditions within the watershed, such as climate changes, land development and population growth. These Plans serve as a road map directing stakeholders from the start to finish for each issue identified. 

A statewide water planning process was initiated by Colorado’s governor in 2013 to address a projected upcoming gap between known water supply and anticipated new demand of water. The resulting Colorado Water Plan, adopted in 2015, incorporated Basin Water Plans through 2050 developed in Colorado’s eight natural river basins, plus the metropolitan area. Basin plans were developed by citizen-run Basin Roundtables, including the Gunnison Basin Roundtable, and assembled in an overall State Water Plan by the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

In the Upper Gunnison River Basin a multi-faceted plan was developed, including assessment of current conditions (Phase 1-completed) and strategies to address the issues identified (Phase II-ongoing). For more details, please access the following links: