United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Colorado Go to Accessibility Information
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Abstract drawing - bird in wetland area

NRCS Colorado and the Wetlands Reserve Program /WRP

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary land-retirement program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address wetland, wildlife, habitat, soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on private lands.

The WRP program provides landowners and tribes an opportunity to receive financial incentives to restore and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring this land from agriculture.   Landowners may file an application for a conservation easement or a cost-share restoration agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore and protect wetlands.

Participants voluntarily limit future use of the land, but retain private ownership.  WRP offers landowners three enrollment options: (1) Permanent Easement (2) 30-year Easement, or (3) Restoration Cost-Share Agreement.

In FY 2002 Colorado purchased 9 perpetual easements, a cost-share easement, and allocated $1,612,636.00 covering 2,216 acres.  Applications totaling over 279 million dollars are waiting for funding.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has the primary administrative responsibility and authority to develop cooperative agreements with conservation groups to assist in creating or restoring wetlands.  NRCS may delegate authority for the monitoring and  enforcement of easements.

   
Colorado Counties with Cost-Share 30-Year easements    
and/or Perpetual Easements

 

     
The following Colorado Counties have cost-share 30-year easements and or perpetual easements in effect: Adams 8 acres; Alamosa 220 acres; Bent 241.42 acres; Boulder 10 acres; Conejos acres; Douglas 1030.76 acres; Elbert 786.20 acres; Gunnison 318.2 acres; Larimer 78.52 acres; Logan 2510.84 acres; Montrose 80.5 acres; Morgan 12.73 acres; Park 143 acres; Saguache 22.6 acres; Sedgwick 340.5 acres; Weld 60.89 acres; Yuma 1756 acres

NRCS Colorado WRP 2002 Annual Report

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NRCS Colorado WRP 2003 Annual Report

Additional WRP Information

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Adobe Acrobat DocumentWRP Fact Sheet
Adobe Acrobat DocumentQuestions and Answers
Adobe Acrobat DocumentKey Points
Adobe Acrobat DocumentProgram Description
Adobe Acrobat DocumentFinal Rule, 2002 Farm Bill, June 7, 2002