GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The State of Colorado recently acquired $176.8 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for critical water projects to strengthen drought resilience.
$40 million will go to the Colorado River Water Conservation District's acquisition of the water rights associated with the Shoshone Power Plant, with $5 million going to the Yampa River Walton Creek Confluence Fund.
Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Dan Gibbs explained how much of the remaining funds will be used.
"The Orchard Mesa canal lining, which would actually really help with preventing evaporation loss, and that one's at $10.5 million; but there are projects all throughout the Colorado River Basin and the Rio Grande basin as well."
The funds help protect water for Western Slope farmers, ranchers, communities and businesses, including the outdoor recreation industry, which contributes $14.6 billion annually to the state's GDP - $4 billion of which comes directly from the Colorado River Basin.
Gibbs is looking forward to the funds and their impact.
"We're just looking forward to these funds being distributed to water districts, municipalities, other partners that are on the ground that will be able to get these projects awarded and getting meaningful projects really off the ground."