For Colorado's rivers, communities, and local economies . . .
Just Add Water.
Our Impact
Since 2001, Colorado Water Trust has restored...
26.7
Billion Gallons of Water
82,086
Acre-feet
814
Miles of Colorado's Rivers
Help us ensure Colorado has enough water for our rivers and our people
The mission of Colorado Water Trust is to restore water to Colorado's rivers.
We are a home-grown, statewide 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Since 2001, we’ve restored 26.7 billion gallons of water to 600 miles of rivers and streams across the state. We work collaboratively with our partners so that our projects benefit both the people we work with and our rivers.
Featured Projects
Upper Yampa River – Stagecoach Reservoir
Reservoir releases near Steamboat Springs, Colorado benefit multiple water users and the environment during periods of low flow in the Yampa River.
Little Cimarron River – McKinley Ditch
A groundbreaking split-season water sharing agreement between agriculture and the environment.
Colorado River – 15-Mile Reach
This project restores water to nearly 100 miles of the Colorado River, including the important 15-Mile Reach, home to threatened and endangered fish species, near Grand Junction.
Latest News & Stories
What's Happening
Here’s another one of the beautiful photos submitted to our photo contest this year - gorgeous wildflowers in Crested Butte! Where is your favorite flower peeping spot?🪻🌼💦 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Here’s another one of the beautiful photos submitted to our photo contest this year - gorgeous wildflowers in Crested Butte! Where is your favorite flower peeping spot?🪻🌼💦 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Big shout out to our 2025 Flowing Waters Basin members! 💦 Corporate support helps make our work restoring water to rivers across Colorado possible. Interested in getting your business or company involved? Check out the Flowing Waters page on our website! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Big shout out to our 2025 Flowing Waters Basin members! 💦 Corporate support helps make our work restoring water to rivers across Colorado possible. Interested in getting your business or company involved? Check out the Flowing Waters page on our website! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Our friends @mountain_crust are excited to host their second summer of Field to Fork Dinners benefitting local nonprofits. 🍽️ Join us on Thursday July 17th for a night of delicious food and inspired cocktails, all in Mountain Crust’s beautiful backyard. Mountain Crust will donate 50% of ticket proceeds to Colorado Water Trust, as well as 50% of ticket proceeds to @zerofoodprint—yay for doing something good while havin’ fun! With only 80 tickets sold per event, don’t hesitate to purchase your tickets today. 🎉 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Our friends @mountain_crust are excited to host their second summer of Field to Fork Dinners benefitting local nonprofits. 🍽️ Join us on Thursday July 17th for a night of delicious food and inspired cocktails, all in Mountain Crust’s beautiful backyard. Mountain Crust will donate 50% of ticket proceeds to Colorado Water Trust, as well as 50% of ticket proceeds to @zerofoodprint—yay for doing something good while havin’ fun! With only 80 tickets sold per event, don’t hesitate to purchase your tickets today. 🎉 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Introducing Our MENV Graduate Consultant Team 💧
We’re excited to welcome our 2025 MENV Capstone team from CU Boulder’s Master of the Environment Program! These talented graduate consultants are already hard at work with Colorado Water Trust on a nine-month project engaging local communities around urban waterways—helping us explore how people interact with rivers in cities and how that knowledge can guide our restoration efforts. We’re honored to work with Caleb, Chelsea, and Gisela as they bring fresh energy, insight, and heart to this important work.
🖥️ Learn more about our mission at coloradowatertrust.org
#ColoradoWaterTrust #CUboulderMENV #UrbanWaterways #EnvironmentalEquity #RiverRestoration #FlowRestoration #JustAddWater
Introducing Our MENV Graduate Consultant Team 💧
We’re excited to welcome our 2025 MENV Capstone team from CU Boulder’s Master of the Environment Program! These talented graduate consultants are already hard at work with Colorado Water Trust on a nine-month project engaging local communities around urban waterways—helping us explore how people interact with rivers in cities and how that knowledge can guide our restoration efforts. We’re honored to work with Caleb, Chelsea, and Gisela as they bring fresh energy, insight, and heart to this important work.
🖥️ Learn more about our mission at coloradowatertrust.org
#ColoradoWaterTrust #CUboulderMENV #UrbanWaterways #EnvironmentalEquity #RiverRestoration #FlowRestoration #JustAddWater
We are excited to announce the winners of our 2025 Colorado Water Trust photo contest! 📸
1st - Ann Duncan – Boulder Creek
2nd - John Bartholow – Around the Corner
Third - Amy Levek – Hoar Frost on the San Miguel
To everyone who submitted photos to our 2025 contest, thank you so much for your submissions! We loved getting to see your beautiful photos, and thinking more about the question what do Colorado’s rivers mean to me?
And big thank you to our contest judges @beganmegley @roosmith6 @tomkingsford and @christysanchez.photo 💦#coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
We are excited to announce the winners of our 2025 Colorado Water Trust photo contest! 📸
1st - Ann Duncan – Boulder Creek
2nd - John Bartholow – Around the Corner
Third - Amy Levek – Hoar Frost on the San Miguel
To everyone who submitted photos to our 2025 contest, thank you so much for your submissions! We loved getting to see your beautiful photos, and thinking more about the question what do Colorado’s rivers mean to me?
And big thank you to our contest judges @beganmegley @roosmith6 @tomkingsford and @christysanchez.photo 💦#coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Thank you to everyone who made it out to our Boulder Creek Waters Celebration last week! It was a sold out event with 200+ people and we raised $140,000 in celebration of our Jasper Lake project, and towards our work restoring water to rivers and streams across Colorado. We couldn’t do what we do without our community of supporters - thank you!! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Thank you to everyone who made it out to our Boulder Creek Waters Celebration last week! It was a sold out event with 200+ people and we raised $140,000 in celebration of our Jasper Lake project, and towards our work restoring water to rivers and streams across Colorado. We couldn’t do what we do without our community of supporters - thank you!! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
From snowpack to stream, our work connects healthy rivers to healthy communities. Dive into our mission at coloradowatertrust.org 💧 #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
From snowpack to stream, our work connects healthy rivers to healthy communities. Dive into our mission at coloradowatertrust.org 💧 #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
Tomorrow is the big day! Join us for the Boulder Creek Waters Celebration - live music, drinks, farm-to-table dinner, and an exciting auction! #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust #BoulderCreekWaters
Tomorrow is the big day! Join us for the Boulder Creek Waters Celebration - live music, drinks, farm-to-table dinner, and an exciting auction! #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust #BoulderCreekWaters
Using market-based tools, we work within Colorado`s water law system to develop win-win solutions that restore flow to our rivers without harming consumptive users. #EcoInnovation #ColoradoWater #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
Using market-based tools, we work within Colorado`s water law system to develop win-win solutions that restore flow to our rivers without harming consumptive users. #EcoInnovation #ColoradoWater #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
100 million gallons restored every year at the Jasper project alone, thanks to innovative partnerships and community support. Join the movement. #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
100 million gallons restored every year at the Jasper project alone, thanks to innovative partnerships and community support. Join the movement. #justaddwater #coloradowatertrust
Colorado Water Trust is teaming up with @cubouldermenv students on a 9-month capstone project focused on urban stream flow restoration. This summer, they’ll be speaking with communities across Colorado to explore how people interact with, value, and manage the urban waterways flowing through their towns and cities. Learn more about this exciting collaboration at the link in our bio! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Colorado Water Trust is teaming up with @cubouldermenv students on a 9-month capstone project focused on urban stream flow restoration. This summer, they’ll be speaking with communities across Colorado to explore how people interact with, value, and manage the urban waterways flowing through their towns and cities. Learn more about this exciting collaboration at the link in our bio! #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Did you know that our Jasper Lake project involved the largest water donation in Colorado history? 💦 Learn more about how we protected the beloved wilderness lake at the link in our bio, and stay tuned for the full short film soon. 🎥 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater
Did you know that our Jasper Lake project involved the largest water donation in Colorado history? 💦 Learn more about how we protected the beloved wilderness lake at the link in our bio, and stay tuned for the full short film soon. 🎥 #coloradowatertrust #justaddwater