This is questionable reframing. If the water is used by the land owner, then Colorado might pay them to not use it. Identical outcome to selling it to another

This is questionable reframing. If the water is used by the land owner, then Colorado might pay them to not use it. Identical outcome to selling it to another farmer. But only 40% is paid if the landowner is not the farmer. And it does not apply when the water is diverted into a new basin, called a Trans Mountain Diversion; which is what they mean by cities.