The problem
Ditch companies receiving Colorado River salinity-control funding must address habitat affected by ditch lining. An ad hoc approach imposed administrative burdens and made delivery harder.
The development work
NetEarth adapted conservation-program structures for a coordinated approach, secured grants to develop a pilot, identified a site, entered an agreement with the Town of Hotchkiss, and developed a plan acceptable to the Bureau of Reclamation for the next phase.
Current stage
The pilot has not launched. It is awaiting a subsequent grant cycle. Its intended benefits, including simpler infrastructure delivery and more reliable habitat replacement, remain to be demonstrated.
What it illustrates
A recurring compliance challenge can be addressed as a shared delivery problem. The design needs to work for infrastructure sponsors, the implementing organization, and the environmental objective.