Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program
Funds voluntary water rights transactions and technical assistance to restore stream flows and improve native fish habitats in the Columbia River Basin.
Funder: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Questions about RFQ) | May 2027 (Full proposal deadline, projected) | May 2027 (RFQ proposal receipt, projected)
Funding Amounts: Typical annual program funding ~$4–5M; individual project awards vary, recent awards range from ~$20,000 to $1.3M; funding duration typically 1–3 years.
Summary: Supports voluntary water rights acquisitions and technical assistance to restore stream flows and improve fish habitats in the Columbia River Basin.
Key Information: All deadlines are anticipated/projected; check the program page for updated dates and guidelines.
Description
The Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program (CBWTP) funds voluntary water rights acquisitions and associated technical assistance to enhance stream flows in tributaries of the Columbia River Basin, primarily to benefit native fish species, including threatened and endangered salmonids. The program works through locally based organizations to implement both temporary and permanent water transactions, as well as incentive-based approaches that restore flows to critical fish habitats. Funding supports project development, transaction implementation, monitoring, and community engagement in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The program is the largest voluntary instream flow restoration initiative in the U.S., with a track record of over 725 transactions and nearly 3 million acre-feet of water protected since 2002.
