Grand valley water users association, located in mesa county, colorado, will develop a basis of design report and final design package to upgrade the grand valley diversion DAM with a new automated…

The Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation awarded a $319,536 cooperative agreement to the Grand Valley Water Users Association on February 2, 2026, under the WaterSMART Grants program (CFDA 15.507) to develop a basis of design report and final design package for upgrading the Grand Valley Diversion Dam with a new automated gate structure.

The project addresses water management challenges in the Colorado Basin by improving the accuracy and reliability of water releases diverted through the gate structure into the Government Highline Canal. The upgraded automated gate system will benefit agricultural, environmental, recreational, and municipal and industrial water users downstream. The Colorado Basin Implementation Plan identifies this project as high priority due to its broad sectoral benefits and contribution to balancing basin water exports with in-basin demands under limited supply conditions.

Work is performed in Colorado. The performance period runs through February 28, 2026. WaterSMART Grants provide cost-shared financial assistance on a competitive, merit-based basis for water conservation, hydropower, and small-scale water efficiency improvement projects. Recipients must maintain project records for three years from final expenditure report submission and complete environmental and cultural resource compliance before project activities commence.

Grand valley water users association, located in mesa county, colorado, will develop a basis of design report and final design package to upgrade the grand valley diversion DAM with a new automated gate structure. The colorado basin faces the challenge of balancing water exports from the basin with the need to meet in-basin demands with limited supplies. The project will be designed to make progress towards improving the accuracy and reliability of water releases diverted through the gate structure and into the government highline canal, benefiting all water use sectors that utilize colorado river water downstream of the project. The project is listed as a high priority within the colorado basin implementation plan due to its benefits to agricultural, environmental, and recreational needs, and municipal and industrial uses.