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Colorado Wetland Program Plan

Wetlands in Colorado are a vital, yet often under-valued resource. While their extent is less than 2% of the land area, wetlands provide a host of essential services, including flood attenuation, groundwater recharge, nutrient cycling, water quality improvement, carbon sequestration, and habitat for a disproportionate share of the state’s biodiversity. Yet due to their limited acreage within the state, there is little state-level protection for wetlands in Colorado and no single state agency coordinates their management.

Elephanhead lousewort (Pedicularis groenlandica), a common fen species. CNHP Staff.

Starting in 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encouraged states and tribes to formulate strategic plans, called Wetland Program Plans (WPPs), to articulate statewide goals and objectives for wetlands. To guide the structure of WPPs, EPA developed the Core Elements Framework for state and tribal wetland programs, which focuses on four core components of an effective wetland program.

The four core elements of the Core Element Framework are:

  • Monitoring and Assessment
  • Regulation
  • Voluntary Restoration and Protection
  • Water Quality Standards for Wetlands

In Colorado, there is no official State Wetland Program to carry out the full range of activities defined under EPA’s Core Elements Framework. Instead, multiple agencies and organizations play a role in their protection, regulation and management.

  • Monitoring and assessment has been led by CNHP and other researchers at Colorado State University, as well as several land management agencies.
  • Wetland regulation is carried out largely by the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA.
  • Voluntary restoration and protection is an active goal of many organizations, but state efforts are led by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Wetland Wildlife Conservation Program, along with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and Great Outdoor Colorado (GOCO).
  • Water quality standards are the purview of the Water Quality Division within the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
WM001
PR004

Read the current Colorado Wetland Program Plan:

  • Colorado Wetland Program Plan for 2020-2024

Colorado's current Wetland Program Plan was completed in 2020, after three years of meetings, conversations, and review with many state agencies. The intent of this WPP is to tie together the priorities and objectives of existing state plans, along with new wetland management and protection goals, objectives, actions, and activities identified by key statewide wetland partners, into one comprehensive document for the next five years (2020-2024). Within this 5-year plan is a Core Element Matrix, including four core elements that differ slightly from the EPA’s recommended elements. The elements chosen for Colorado reflect the specific priorities of Colorado state agencies and the current regulatory environment.

The four core elements for Colorado are:

  1. Planning, Conservation, Restoration, and Adaptive Management
  2. Inventory, Assessment, and Monitoring
  3. Regulatory Considerations for Wetland Protection
  4. Partnerships, Education, and Outreach

The Colorado WPP for 2020-2024 is a living document. CNHP plans to coordinate regular check-ins with the state agencies involved with preparing this document. We may adjust timelines or add or remove actions or activities as the state of wetland management changes over the next five years. This plan sets the stage and focuses our actions, but will not limit our efforts if and when new opportunities arise.

List of agencies involved:

  • Colorado Department of Agriculture
  • Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • Colorado Division of Water Resources
  • Colorado Natural Areas
  • Colorado State Land Board
  • Colorado Parks & Wildlife
  • Colorado Water Conservation Board
  • Great Outdoors Colorado
For information, contact Joanna Lemly.

About CWIC

What Are Wetlands?
Why Are Wetlands Important?
Colorado Wetland Plan
Wetland Partners

Related Topics

Wetland Reports
PCA Reports
County Survey Reports
Field Guides and App
Field Manuals
Educational Resources
Watershed Toolbox

Web Projects

  • CODEX - Colorado’s Conservation Data Explorer
  • Rare Plant Guide Online
  • Colorado Wetland Info Center
  • COMaP - Colorado Protected Lands
  • Colorado Bat Working Group
  • STReaMS - Endangered Fishes Database
  • Colorado Native Plant Database Data Portal

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  • About CWIC
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Field Guides and App
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Working in Wetlands
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  • About CWIC
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Field Guides and App
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Working in Wetlands
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    ▼
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    ▼
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home
  • About CWIC
    ▼
    • What Are Wetlands?
    • Why Are Wetlands Important?
    • Colorado Wetland Plan
    • Wetland Partners
  • Wetland Types
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Systems
    • Natural Plant Communities
    • Field Guides and App
    • Fen Mapping
  • Wetland Condition
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Ecological Condition
    • Habitat Quality
    • Biodiversity Significance
    • Colorado Wetland Assessment Projects
    • National Wetland Condition Assessment
    • BLM Assessment Inventory and Monitoring
  • Working in Wetlands
    ▼
    • Overview
    • Conservation
    • Restoration
    • Regulation
    • Best Management Practices
    • Funding and Technical Support
  • Data & Tools
    ▼
    • Wetlands Mapper
    • Floristic Quality Calculator
    • Landscape Summaries
    • Watershed Toolbox
    • Wetland Plots Database
  • Library
    ▼
    • Wetland Reports
    • Potential Conservation Areas
    • County Survey Reports
    • Field Guides and App
    • Field Manuals
    • Educational Resources
  • CNHP Home