Conservation in Colorado
Wetlands in Colorado
Wetlands are lands affected by water, resulting in unique plants and soils. They may be cattail areas with a few feet of standing water, areas with very shallow water, or temporary habitats such as playa depressions on the eastern plains that only occasionally have standing water. Protection, restoration and enhancement of wetlands and areas along the shores of lakes and rivers is vital to conserving wildlife diversity in the state. Wetlands perform a variety of functions valuable to wildlife and society, including:
Less than 2%
of Colorado’s landscape is composed of wetlands
over 75%
of species in the state benefit from wetlands
50%
of Colorado's wetlands have been lost
95%
of riparian areas in the West have been degraded by human activity
Conservation in Colorado
Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program
The Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program is a voluntary, incentive-based program within Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Its focus is on protecting wetlands and the wildlife that depend on them, on both public and private lands.
Since its beginning in 1997, the Colorado Wetlands Program has preserved, restored, enhanced or created almost 220,000 acres of wetlands and adjacent habitat and more than 200 miles of streams.
- Funding for all phases of wetland and riparian creation, restoration and enhancement
- Funding for conservation easements and fee-title purchase through the Wildlife Habitat Program
- Wildlife and aquatic resource inventories
- Education and outreach
- Project monitoring and evaluation
The program is responsible for almost $40 million in total funding devoted to wetland and riparian preservation in Colorado. Funds are allocated to the program each year, and projects are recommended for funding by a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) committee with final approval by the Director. Each year, CPW welcomes applications for projects involving the restoration, enhancement and creation of wetlands and riparian areas to support the two main goals of its Wetlands for Wildlife Program:
- Improve the distribution and abundance of ducks, and opportunities for public waterfowl hunting
- Improve the status of declining or at-risk species
Essential to wetland protection in Colorado are wetland focus area committees. These are the local eyes and ears of the state program. Committees provide the knowledge of local wetland resources, offer venues for discussing wetland needs, provide wetland expertise and generate ideas for wetland projects.
In most situations that involve potential impacts to wetlands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has legal authority under the federal Clean Water Act. The wetland program at Colorado Parks and Wildlife does not have a role or any authority in these activities.
Fund Your Wetland Project
Each year, CPW welcomes applications for projects involving the restoration, enhancement and creation of wetlands and riparian areas to support its Wetlands for Wildlife Program. The application deadline for 2024 is Monday, February 12, 2024.
View Requirements
Learn more about how to get funding for your wetlands project and download an application.
Find out morePriority Wildlife
Colorado Parks and Wildlife encourages wetland and riparian conservation projects to benefit certain priority species. The following species have been declared priorities for conservation or are popular species for waterfowl hunting and wildlife viewing. Tier 1 species are the highest priority for project funding.
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Boreal Toad (S. Rocky Mtn. Pop.)
Tier 1
Northern Leopard Frog
Tier 1
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Tier 2
Canyon Tree Frog
Tier 2
Couch’s Spadefoot
Tier 2
Great Basin Spadefoot
Gr. Plains Narrowmouth Toad
Tier 2
Green Toad
Tier 2
Plains Leopard Frog
Tier 2
Wood Frog
Tier 2
Boreal Toad (S. Rocky Mtn. Pop.)
Tier 1
Northern Leopard Frog
Tier 1
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Tier 2
Canyon Tree Frog
Tier 2
Couch’s Spadefoot
Tier 2
Great Basin Spadefoot
Gr. Plains Narrowmouth Toad
Tier 2
Green Toad
Tier 2
Plains Leopard Frog
Tier 2
Wood Frog
Tier 2
American Green-winged Teal
Tier 1
American Wigeon
Tier 1
Blue-winged Teal
Tier 1
Cinnamon Teal
Tier 1
Gadwall
Tier 1
Lesser Scaup
Tier 1
Mallard
Tier 1
Northern Pintail
Tier 1
Greater Sandhill Crane
Tier 1
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Tier 1
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Tier 1
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Tier 2
American Bittern
Tier 2
American White Pelican
Tier 2
Bald Eagle
Tier 2
Black Rail
Tier 2
Black Swift
Tier 2
Black Tern
Tier 2
Least Tern
Tier 2
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Tier 2
Long-billed Curlew
Tier 2
Northern Harrier
Tier 2
Piping Plover
Tier 2
Short-eared Owl
Tier 2
Veery
Tier 2
Western Snowy Plover
Tier 2
White-faced Ibis
Tier
American Green-winged Teal
Tier 1
American Wigeon
Tier 1
Blue-winged Teal
Tier 1
Cinnamon Teal
Tier 1
Gadwall
Tier 1
Lesser Scaup
Tier 1
Mallard
Tier 1
Northern Pintail
Tier 1
Greater Sandhill Crane
Tier 1
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Tier 1
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Tier 1
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Tier 2
American Bittern
Tier 2
American White Pelican
Tier 2
Bald Eagle
Tier 2
Black Rail
Tier 2
Black Swift
Tier 2
Black Tern
Tier 2
Least Tern
Tier 2
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Tier 2
Long-billed Curlew
Tier 2
Northern Harrier
Tier 2
Piping Plover
Tier 2
Short-eared Owl
Tier 2
Veery
Tier 2
Western Snowy Plover
Tier 2
White-faced Ibis
Tier
Arkansas Darter
Tier 1
Bluehead Sucker
Tier 1
Bonytail Chub
Tier 1
Brassy Minnow
Tier 1
Iowa Darter
Tier 2
Northern Redbelly Dace
Tier 1
Orangespotted Sunfish
Orangethroat Darter
Tier 1
Plains Topminnow
Tier 1
Rio Grande Chub
Tier 1
Rio Grande Sucker
Tier 1
Southern Redbelly Dace
Arkansas Darter
Tier 1
Bluehead Sucker
Tier 1
Bonytail Chub
Tier 1
Brassy Minnow
Tier 1
Iowa Darter
Tier 2
Northern Redbelly Dace
Tier 1
Orangespotted Sunfish
Orangethroat Darter
Tier 1
Plains Topminnow
Tier 1
Rio Grande Chub
Tier 1
Rio Grande Sucker
Tier 1
Southern Redbelly Dace
Beaver
Tier 1
N. Mex. Meadow Jumping Mouse
Tier 1
Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse
Tier 1
River Otter
Tier 2
Beaver
Tier 1
N. Mex. Meadow Jumping Mouse
Tier 1
Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse
Tier 1
River Otter
Tier 2
Black-necked Gartersnake
Tier 2
Common (Red-sided) Gartersnake
Yellow Mud Turtle
Tier 2
Black-necked Gartersnake
Tier 2
Common (Red-sided) Gartersnake
Yellow Mud Turtle
Tier 2
Waterfowl Stamp Program
Help Support Wetlands and Wildlife
The Colorado Waterfowl Stamp program was started in 1990 and provides funding to conserve wetlands for waterfowl, water birds and other wetland-dependent wildlife throughout the state. Several thousand acres of wetlands have been protected with Waterfowl Stamp funds.