Willingness to Participate in Agricultural Water Conservation Programs: Choice Experiment Evidence from the Upper Colorado River Basin

Amid ongoing policy discussions around water scarcity in the Colorado River Basin, we examined factors influencing farmers’ stated participation in agricultural water conservation programs (AWCPs) in Colorado’s Upper Basin. Using data from a discrete choice experiment, we assessed preferences for hypothetical program attributes and payment levels. Respondents preferred AWCPs with shared conservation responsibility, water shepherding, and higher compensation. Participation declined for more intensive conservation practices and larger land commitments. Larger farms required lower payments to participate, while older and higher-income farmers required more. The findings identify program attributes, such as flexibility and transparent water use outcomes, that can help policy makers drive voluntary participation in AWCPs.