Project Grant R24AP00235

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program will provide $4,368,496.00 to Trout Unlimited, Inc. to upgrade, relocate, or combine six diversion structures in Elk Creek near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. These upgrades will remove instream barriers and open approximately five miles of aquatic habitat for fish passage. The project also aims to improve stream morphology, increase instream flows, and benefit irrigators by enhancing the operational capabilities of the diversions and reducing water transmission losses. This initiative supports goals outlined in the 2020 Middle Colorado Integrated Water Management Plan developed in collaboration with various state and federal agencies. As the prime recipient, Trout Unlimited will partner with the Middle Colorado Agriculture Collaborative to implement the habitat restoration activities.