HB 1340 CO
Revegetate or Dry Farm Formerly Irrigated Agricultural Land
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Summary
This bill requires water right owners in Colorado water division 2 who change their water use from agricultural irrigation to other purposes starting January 1, 2027, to revegetate or convert to dryland farming with effective erosion control on the formerly irrigated land. The bill establishes oversight procedures including appointing a third-party expert to conduct annual field reviews and report on the success of revegetation or conversion efforts. Water courts must require financial assurance from the water right owner to cover restoration costs and may place limitations on the timing or amount of water used during the transition period. These provisions ensure proper land management when agricultural water rights are redirected to other beneficial uses.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.
Official abstract
The act requires a water right owner that changes the use of their water right in water division 2 from agricultural irrigation purposes to another beneficial use on or after January 1, 2027, to engage in revegetation or a conversion to dryland farming with effective erosion control and weed management on the formerly irrigated agricultural land. The act implements a procedure that includes:The identification of site-specific criteria and an associated scientific and objective evaluation methodology to measure and determine the success of the revegetation or conversion to dryland farming;A requirement that the water court appoint a third-party revegetation or dryland farming expert to conduct annual field reviews and issue reports concerning the success of the revegetation or conversion to dryland farming until the revegetation or conversion is successfully established; andA requirement that the water court:Order the water right owner to provide financial assurance to the local land use authority to cover the anticipated cost to achieve successful revegetation;Place limitations on the timing of use or percentage of the water that may be used for the new beneficial use during the revegetation or conversion to dryland farming process; orIf the water right owner has obtained a permit or entered into an intergovernmental agreement that requires financial assurance or establishes requirements governing the timing of use or percentage of the water that may be used for the new beneficial use, incorporate those requirements into the change-of-use decree.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sponsors (4)
- T. Mauro Democratic · sponsor
- T. Winter Republican · sponsor
- N. Hinrichsen Democratic · sponsor
- R. Pelton Republican · sponsor
18 coauthors / cosponsors
- J. Bacon Democratic · cosponsor
- A. Boesenecker Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Caldwell Republican · cosponsor
- C. Clifford Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Duran Democratic · cosponsor
- L. Goldstein Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Jackson Democratic · cosponsor
- J. Joseph Democratic · cosponsor
- J. McCluskie Democratic · cosponsor
- K. McCormick Democratic · cosponsor
- K. Nguyen Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Rutinel Democratic · cosponsor
- L. Smith Democratic · cosponsor
- M. Soper Republican · cosponsor
- K. Stewart Democratic · cosponsor
- B. Titone Democratic · cosponsor
- C. Kipp Democratic · cosponsor
- C. Simpson Republican · cosponsor
Action history (15)
- May 29, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
- May 28, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
- May 28, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
- May 28, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
- May 12, 2026 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass · lower
- May 11, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
- May 8, 2026 Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee · upper
- May 7, 2026 Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
- May 1, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources · upper
- Apr 30, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
- Apr 29, 2026 House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments · lower
- Apr 28, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee · lower
- Apr 23, 2026 House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
- Apr 20, 2026 House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only · lower
- Mar 25, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources · lower
Full text
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