National initiative demonstrates how data, collaboration, and capital can effectively drive large-scale, measurable watershed recovery in the U.S.

Despite $2 trillion in conservation spending since the launch of the modern environmental movement more than 50 years ago, environmental degradation continues to grow. Pesticide use has tripled; ocean dead zones increased from a few dozen to more than 500 worldwide, and freshwater species have declined by half. Unfortunately, fragmented conservation funding is inefficiently allocated to projects without accountability for outcomes and impact. In short, the system is broken. Today, The Freshwater Trust (TFT) announced a bold new goal to enable $1 billion in verified, data-driven freshwater conservation annually by 2030.

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The Freshwater Trust's work is driven by quantified conservation and a unified framework connecting essential functions to address complex, multifaceted challenges.

The announcement calls out the need for a transformative shift in the scale and economics of water system solutions in the United States, showing that strategic, measurable conservation can achieve the greatest results. TFT is a trusted systems integrator that navigates among landowners, utilities, agencies, and community partners, aligning diverse interests and moving complex, multi-party projects from concept to implementation in ways few organizations are equipped to do.

“Water is a solvable systems challenge, and The Freshwater Trust’s goal is to cross a systems threshold to reach a tipping point, showing that coordinated, data-driven conservation can reach critical mass and succeed where decades of fragmented conservation efforts have fallen short,” says Joe Whitworth, president and CEO of The Freshwater Trust and author of “Quantified Conservation.” “For too long, conservation has been treated as a series of isolated actions. Our 2030 goal is to scale what works, using data to direct every dollar toward the greatest possible environmental return. The mechanics of water management can and must be fixed, and this is how we do it.”

Challenging the Status Quo

TFT’s model leverages advanced data analytics, decision-support tools, and collaborative partnerships to deliver measurable ecological outcomes across major U.S. watersheds. TFT’s proprietary watershed analytics tools such as BasinScout® and the Watershed Outcomes Bank provide the foundation for this scalable framework, enabling its partners to quantify the impact of every conservation dollar.

Whitworth adds, “Our $1 billion goal isn’t about spending more money on water conservation; it’s about redefining how that money is put to work. By applying data to conservation investments, we can build a future where restoring rivers and managing our nation’s water supply is efficient, transparent, and transformational.”

The Freshwater Trust’s innovative approach leverages its analytics to identify:

• Which conservation actions will produce the greatest benefit
• Where dollars will generate the highest return
• Which interventions are most cost-effective

Paired with the Watershed Outcomes Bank, an innovative financing model that aggregates capital, aligns timelines, and deploys funds when and where they are needed, TFT makes water recovery measurable, investable, and scalable.

Building on decades of proven project success in river basins across Colorado, Oregon, Idaho, and California, these regional models provide a tested blueprint for scaling nationally. The organization’s success in major river systems like the Snake River (ID), Sacramento River (CA), and Upper Colorado Basin (CO) demonstrates how coordinated, data-guided action can restore ecosystems while meeting economic and community needs.

Early Success in the Snake River

Across the Snake River Basin in Idaho, The Freshwater Trust is implementing an innovative conservation finance program that brings together public and private funds to help farmers and irrigation equipment suppliers. Farmers can receive advance payments and other incentives to pay for more efficient irrigation methods that measurably reduce the amount of sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen entering the system. TFT’s approach streamlines paperwork, processing, and verification, resulting in 23 high-efficiency projects in Year 1 (2025) that reduce phosphorus runoff by 8,000 pounds. In 2026 (Year 2), the program is poised to grow with greater benefit to regional water resources.

“Improving water quality in a system as big as the Snake River requires watershed-scale efforts across a broad range of stakeholders. The Snake River is the cornerstone of southern Idaho’s culture, communities, and incredible natural resources. Working together with groups like TFT that share a common vision for sustainable, holistic solutions will ensure the Snake River remains a valuable resource for future generations.” Fred Noland, Environmental Affairs Director, Idaho Power

Water Quantity and Quality Improvements in California

TFT partnered with Sacramento Area Sewer District (SacSewer) on its Harvest Water regional water reuse initiative that will pipe highly treated recycled water from a wastewater treatment facility to agricultural and natural lands south of Sacramento. This program reduces reliance on groundwater pumping and helps stabilize declining groundwater levels, with the long-term goal of delivering 50,000 acre-feet of irrigation water per year to farmland, enhancing 5,000 acres of important groundwater-dependent habitat, and restoring groundwater levels by up to 35 feet over 15 years. Harvest Water helps ensure there’s enough water for people, farms, and ecosystems, especially during drought while reducing future water crises.

In California, TFT partnered with the Eldorado National Forest on the “Sierra to Sea” watershed initiative using its Watershed Outcomes Bank model to integrate multiple restoration strategies across large landscapes, including forest thinning and fuels reduction, managed aquifer recharge, and riparian restoration. The initiative replaces fragmented funding from more than 30 agencies, directing private and public funds to the highest impact action across the entire watershed to achieve regional resilience. The initiative is designed to increase water volume, lower wildfire risk, improve water quality by removing 3,000 metric tons of sediment, and reduce flood risk.

“The Eldorado National Forest (ENF) is excited to launch the Watershed Outcomes Bank,” said Michelle Wolfgang, Partnership Coordinator for the ENF. “The Watershed Outcomes Bank approach helps us formalize partnerships, more efficiently leverage each other’s efforts, secure more funding, and ultimately, get a lot more work done for the health of our forests and the connected ecosystem.”

The Freshwater Trust’s 2030 initiative aligns with a growing national focus on resilient resource management and systems-level water reform. By uniting science, data, and capital, TFT aims to create a scalable model for measurable environmental solutions that others can replicate nationwide.

About The Freshwater Trust

The Freshwater Trust (TFT) is a fast-growing nonprofit organization and national leader in data-driven watershed restoration and freshwater resource management. With offices throughout the West, TFT pioneered analytics-driven conservation, implementing scalable solutions that deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits. TFT’s approach combines cutting-edge analytics with deep ecological expertise to identify and fund the most impactful projects, maximizing the return on every conservation dollar invested. For more information, visit www.thefreshwatertrust.org. Stay connected with The Freshwater Trust on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Vimeo.

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"For too long, conservation has been treated as a series of isolated actions. Our 2030 goal is to scale what works, using data to direct every dollar toward the greatest possible environmental return."