Press Release

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources announced today that Rebecca Mitchell will become the State of Colorado’s first full time Commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Director to manage the Colorado Water Conservation Board

Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs announced the appointment of the Governing Body of the Colorado Produced Water Consortium. The Consortium was created by the Colorado General Assembly to help reduce the consumption of freshwater within oil and gas operations.

The Polis administration has set out a robust strategy to support the climate-smart management of forests, farms, ranches, grasslands, wetlands and riparian areas, and urban green spaces in the newly released Strategic Plan for Climate-Smart Natural and Working Lands.

This year, the Colorado General Assembly approved more than $130 million in investments to equip the state with the resources necessary to advance State energy goals, mitigate wildfire risk, and enhance water, wildlife, and outdoor recreation resources which were supported by Colorado Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Gibbs and Governor Polis signed into law.

The newly revised Colorado Republican River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), now available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, will offer producers a dryland crop production practice on eligible cropland. This option will give producers meaningful tools to continue farming as they work toward permanently retiring water rights and conserving the Ogallala Aquifer for future generations.

Governor Jared Polis announced today the hiring of Jeff Davis as the new Director of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Jeff Davis comes with 25 years of experience in wildlife management, conservation and habitat protection, most recently as Director of Conservation for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife where he has served the program in multiple capacities for the past 22 years.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) announced the creation and appointment of members to a water conservation focused Urban Landscape Conservation Task Force. Over the next year, the Task Force will work to identify practical ways to advance outdoor water conservation through state policy and local initiatives, to meet the pressing challenges of urban water conservation in Colorado.

To meet Colorado’s most critical water challenges, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) unanimously approved the finalized the 2023 Colorado Water Plan. First released in 2015, the Water Plan provides a comprehensive framework to guide collaborative action from water partners, agencies, and Coloradans. From securing supplies that provide safe drinking water to improving farm irrigation to rehabilitating streams—the 2023 Water Plan targets specific, key actions to contribute to a stronger, more water-resilient Colorado.

The State of Colorado hosted a ‘handing over’ ceremony of Patent 8583 to senior military leaders from Schriever Space Force Base. The Patent transfers title of 640 acres of land located at Schriever Space Force Base — a critical military installation in El Paso County — from the State of Colorado to the United States Department of Defense (DOD).