Since the Colorado Water Plan (Water Plan) launched in January 2023, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) has worked diligently to advance and implement the plan’s 50 Agency Actions. This effort has led to significant progress in the transformative landscape change space outlined in the Water Plan and in Agency Action 1.7. Advancements include key strategies that speak to the CWCB’s commitment to this work, including managing the state’s first Turf Replacement Program, leading a first-of-its-kind Urban Landscape Conservation Task Force and granting over $1 million for continued landscape transformation efforts.

Immediately following the release of the Water Plan, the CWCB launched the Turf Replacement Program, which helped 50 eligible entities across Colorado advance trans formative landscape change in their communities. Awarded entities could either create turf replacement incentive programs or identify specific water-intensive areas to convert to drought-resistant and water-wise landscapes.

The CWCB also led a year-long Urban Landscape Conservation Task Force, which released a final report in January 2024. The report, synthesizing insight from industry leaders across the state, incorporates recommendations from the 21 task force members to advance landscape transformation beyond turf removal efforts to address additional research needs and complementary initiatives. These include supporting prohibitions on nonfunctional turf installations, continuing education and outreach around the benefits of xeriscape, and partnering with the landscape industry to promote water-wise landscapes.

In September 2023, the CWCB Board awarded Resource Central a $1.5 million Water Plan Grant, the largest ever awarded in the water conservation category. The grant will help accelerate transformative landscape change across the state through turf removal and replacement. Resource Central is also working with the CWCB to launch a Trans formative Landscape Change (TLC) Challenge to increase local examples of water-wise landscapes. Resource Central will work directly with up to 15 local communities to replace maintained high-water-use turf in highly visible areas with functional irrigation systems and Garden in a Box kits filled with drought- tolerant perennials. The application window closed on June 1.

While much has been accomplished relatively quickly in the transformative landscape change space, CWCB is still hard at work.

Forthcoming initiatives range from working with partners to develop a do-it-yourself guide for home turf replacement to managing another round of funding for the Turf Re placement Program. To stay updated on these initiatives and learn about new efforts (once available), please visit engagecwcb.org.

Read more in this issue of Colorado Green Now:

Hot and dry conditions the summer could push the state to drought status

Colorado water communities unite to create new water ethic