Rep. Neguse Welcomes Release of $40 Million Award for the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Joe Neguse issued the following statement after the Department of the Interior’s release of $40 million in federal funding for the Shoshone Water Rights Preservation Project.  

“I have long fought for federal investments to safeguard the headwaters of the Colorado River and to protect the long-term reliability of this vital water resource. The release of $40 million in federal funding for the Shoshone Preservation Project will have a generational impact on the farmers, ranchers, and communities that I am proud to represent on Colorado’s West Slope,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “This is truly a monumental step forward for the health of the Colorado River and everyone who depends on it. I'm proud to have worked alongside Rep. Jeff Hurd, Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper, and countless local leaders across the Western Slope to get this critical funding across the finish line.”  

“Representative Neguse fought for these dollars by developing and strengthening coalitions across divides – both geographical and political. By advocating for the Shoshone Water Rights Project in Colorado and Washington, they helped deliver a durable and permanent solution for the entire Colorado River system,” said Andy Mueller, Colorado River District General Manager.

Background

For years, Congressman Neguse has led the fight in the U.S. House of Representatives to protect the Colorado River for current and future generations. Federal funding for the Shoshone Preservation Project was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which he helped craft and included $4 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation to combat drought conditions across the West. 

As founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Colorado River Caucus, Rep. Neguse has consistently pushed the Bureau of Reclamation to direct federal dollars toward long-term, permanent solutions on the Colorado River, including in aSeptember 2022 bicameral letter he led with Senator Michael Bennet, urging the agency to prioritize permanent drought solutions in the Colorado River Basin.

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $152 million in federal funding for 17 critical water and drought-resiliency projects in Colorado, including $40 million for the Shoshone Permanency Project. But these awards were frozen in January 2025, prompting Rep. Neguse and the entire Colorado delegation to urge the Trump administration to release them. 

In November 2025, Neguse and Rep. Jeff Hurd commended the Colorado Water Conservation Board's vote to move forward with the Shoshone Water Rights Acquisition, reaffirming their bipartisan commitment to ensure the full $40 million is delivered to complete the project.

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