Planning

PLANNING FOR A RESILIENT FUTURE

Why Planning Matters

The Headwaters of the Colorado Initiative is currently leading a coordinated planning effort across the Little Snake, Elk, and Elkhead River watersheds.

These plans are not reports that sit on a shelf, they are roadmaps that identify where restoration, wildfire mitigation, and water resilience investments will have the greatest impact.

By aligning science, local knowledge, and agency priorities, we are building a shared strategy for long-term watershed health.

Wildfire Ready Action Plan

In Partnership with the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB)

The Wildfire Ready Action Plan (WRAP) is a landscape-scale planning effort focused on reducing wildfire risk while protecting water supplies and critical infrastructure.

This work helps us:

  • Identify high-risk areas for catastrophic wildfire

  • Prioritize forest treatments and restoration projects

  • Protect municipal and agricultural water sources

  • Strengthen cross-boundary collaboration

  • Position our region for implementation funding

WRAP allows us to move from reactive response to proactive investment.

Rather than working project-by-project, we are aligning efforts across jurisdictions to maximize ecological and community benefit.

The WRAP combines…

scientific data analysis

and

to

stakeholder participation

  • identify actions

  • prioritize projects

  • highlight system susceptibility

  • prepare in advance of wildfire

Click for more information from the Colorado Water Conservation Board

Hazards, Vulnerability, and Susceptibility

  • Watershed/Wildfire Hazard Analysis Components Diagram

  • Watershed Resiliency Analysis Components Diagram

WaterSMART Basin Planning

In Partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)

Through the WaterSMART program, HoC is working to assess long-term water supply and demand risks in the headwaters of the Colorado River system.

This planning effort examines:

  • Changing snowpack and hydrology

  • Drought vulnerability

  • Infrastructure needs

  • Agricultural water resilience

  • Ecosystem health and stream function

WaterSMART planning ensures that local communities are prepared for increasing variability in water availability.

It also strengthens our ability to compete for federal funding to implement priority projects.

What This Means for Our Region

Together, WRAP and WaterSMART create a coordinated, science-based foundation for action.

These efforts will:

  • Build a prioritized project pipeline

  • Improve access to state and federal funding

  • Support landowners and land managers

  • Protect downstream water users

  • Strengthen long-term watershed resilience

Planning is not the end goal — it is the groundwork for durable, landscape-scale restoration.

How This Supports Implementation

HoC serves as a coordination hub.

While we do not directly implement most projects, we:

  • Align partners and jurisdictions

  • Identify funding opportunities

  • Support grant applications

  • Track regional priorities

  • Ensure efforts complement one another

As these planning efforts conclude, our role will focus on helping partners translate priority areas into funded, shovel-ready projects.

Watershed map of study area