The race to get bills signed into law before President Joe Biden leaves office is on, and two water bills sponsored by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Denver, are trying to get on that list. The first is an extension of the Colorado River Basin System Conservation Act, which earlier this year put $125 million into the system conservation pilot program operated by the Upper Colorado River Commission. Under the latest iteration, the act would be extended until 2026. The system conservation pilot program is a voluntary, temporary, and compensated agreement to conserve consumptive use (or depletion) of agricultural, municipal, or industrial water. It was tested between 2015 and 2018 and allowed lapses, but it was restarted in 2023. However, the program does not require water conservation targets. The second, the Drought Preparedness Act, would  Reauthorize the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act through 2028.

Other water-related legislation article:

• Senator Alex Padilla news release: Padilla conservation, public lands, wildfire, and water bills advance in senate