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This Final Environmental Assessment (EA) discusses providing endangered fish passage at the Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam on the Colorado River and providing a fish screen in the Government Highline Canal in Mesa County, Colorado. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) prepared this EA in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act, and related US Department of the Interior policies and regulations. If based on this analysis, Reclamation concludes the proposed action would have no significant impact on the human environment, preparation of an environmental impact statement would not be required before the action could be implemented.

The Grand Valley Project Diversion Dam and Government Highline Canal (GHC) are major features of Reclamation's Grand Valley Project, constructed from 1912 to 1917. The 14-foot high diversion dam is located on the Colorado River about 1/4 mile upstream of the Colorado River's confluence with Plateau Creek. The dam provides water via the GHC to four canals that stretch over 90 miles throughout the Grand Valley. The GHC, completed in 1917, is 55 miles long. The dam and GHC have been operated and maintained by the Grand Valley Water Users Association since 1949.