Current Focus

The Colorado River is a critical resource in the West. Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming depend on the river for water, hydropower production, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and other benefits. Between 35 and 40 million people rely on the river to provide some if not all their water needs.

Our Colorado River Basin page is where you can find the latest news and information about Reclamation's work in managing the Colorado River. Current efforts include: Post 2026 Colorado River Operations; System Conservation and Efficiency Programs; other environmental compliance works; and the related public involvement interfaces. We encourage everyone to visit and see how we are managing one of our nation's greatest resources.

Upper Colorado News & Highlights

  • News Release – March 21, 2025

    Built in the mid-1930s, Hyrum Dam is located on the Little Bear River in northern Utah and provides water storage for irrigation and municipal use. Construction of a new spillway is scheduled to start later this year. The existing 90-year-old spillway is located left of the earth-filled dam.Reclamation awards $115.9 million construction contract for replacement of Hyrum Dam spillway

    SALT LAKE CITY — The Bureau of Reclamation today announced the award of a $115,900,000 contract to AMES Federal Contracting Group of Burnsville, Minnesota, for the construction of a new spillway at Hyrum Dam. Hyrum Dam was built on the Little Bear River in northern Utah in 1935 and impounds Hyrum Reservoir, which provides water storage for irrigation and municipal use. Read More 

  • News Release – March 19, 2025

    Black and white photo showing horse drawn equipment duringthe construction of Strawberry Dam.
    Reclamation transfers ownership of Strawberry Valley Project Power Transmission System

    SALT LAKE CITY — During a signing ceremony, the Bureau of Reclamation transferred ownership of 35.5 miles of the Strawberry Valley Project 46-kilovolt power transmission system to Southern Utah Valley Power Systems. SUVPS is a non-profit political subdivision, organized under the laws of the state of Utah and comprised of members from Payson City Power, Salem City Power, Spanish Fork City Power, Springville City Power, and the South Utah Valley Electric Service District. Read More 

  • News Story – February 20, 2025

    Acting Commissioner David Palumbo presents Belay Nerea with Reclamation's Engineer of the Year AwardReclamation Engineer Honored for Excellence in Engineering and Leadership

    WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation is proud to recognize Belay Nerea for his outstanding contributions to engineering and research. As a Supervisory Civil Engineer at the Wyoming Area Office, Nerea has played a crucial role in modernizing water operations, enhancing infrastructure safety, and advancing innovative engineering solutions. Read More 

  • News Story – February 10, 2025

    This photo shows what D&RGW #278 looked like originally, with a diamond stack, box headlight, trim on the domes, and a wooden pilot (cowcatcher). U.S. Park Service photo.Echoes of Steam: The Legacy of Locomotive #278 in Colorado's Black Canyon

    At the mouth of Cimarron Creek, just upstream from its confluence with the Gunnison River, a striking reminder of railroad days past greets traffic heading up Colorado's Black Canyon near Crystal Dam in the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The 143-year-old locomotive #278, its coal tender, boxcar, and caboose stand atop the last remaining section of railroad trestle along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison route. This display is a historically authentic example of rolling stock railroad cars used on this branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) in its heyday. Read More 

  • News Release – January 13, 2025

    Reclamation revises categorical exclusion to streamline environmental reviews
    The revised categorical exclusions are now available.

    WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Reclamation is moving forward with final revisions to seven categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The revised categorical exclusions will allow Reclamation to complete environmental reviews more efficiently and effectively for water-related contracting, use authorizations, financial assistance, loans, and funding activities. Read More 

  • News Release – December 4, 2024

    Reclamation Celebrates Almost $1 Billion in Conservation Efforts in the Colorado River Basin with Tribal Partners

    WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Reclamation today hosted a signing ceremony celebration with the San Carlos Apache Tribe, Quechan Indian Tribe, Colorado River Indian Tribes, Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, and White Mountain Apache Tribe to celebrate new initiatives with a total investment of over $43.7 million from President Biden's Investing in America agenda and annual appropriations. These new agreements aimed at providing a more sustainable and reliable water use in the Basin and build on progress already underway on water conservation agreements totaling $888 million. Read More 

    • More Stories & Media  

Explore

Projects & Places

Recreation & Public Use

Reservoir Information

Colorado River Storage Project Facilities
Blue Mesa: Status | HydroData
Morrow Point: Status | HydroData
Crystal: Status | HydroData
Flaming Gorge: Status | HydroData
Fontenelle: Status | HydroData
Lake Powell: Status | HydroData
Navajo: Status | HydroData

Water Information

Related Links

Water and Power for our Future cover image

We here in the Upper Colorado Region are proud of the work we are doing bringing water and power to the west. Our new publication Water and Power for our Future takes a look at some of the accomplishments and work being done throughout the region... Read More 

Recreation.gov screen shot Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov helps you discover and book trips at Reclamation facilities and at all of America's public places. Read More 

RISE graphic Reclamation Information Sharing Environment

RISE is a Reclamation open data system for viewing, accessing, and downloading Reclamation's water and water-related data. Visit the RISE web site 

Statement of Project Construction Cost and Repayment Statements Are Available from Reclamation

Reclamation has been accumulating construction cost and repayment data since the first reimbursable project began and created the Statement of Project Construction Cost and Repayment (SPCCR) to capture cost and repayment data by project, for internal use only. However, these are now available by request. Read More 

To request the statement for your project, contact our Financial Manager, Sandra Hughson at 406-690-9918 or shughson@usbr.gov

Last Updated: 3/21/25