Colorado River District Applauds Major Federal Investment in West Slope Water Infrastructure  

The Colorado River District is proud to celebrate a major federal investment in West Slope water infrastructure. On June 11, the Bureau of Reclamation announced $10.5 million in funding for the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District (OMID) to upgrade critical water-delivery infrastructure in the Grand Valley. An additional $1.4 million will support the installation of new and upgraded flow meters, enabling real-time monitoring and more accurate water measurement. 

Andy Mueller, General Manager of the Colorado River District commented, “OMID’s work to manage water for irrigation, ecosystem health and hydropower production is a model of smart, community-focused stewardship, and this award is well deserved. We are encouraged by the Department of Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation’s commitment to the long-term health of the Colorado River. We hope to see more proactive federal investments that build durable solutions through regional partnerships and demonstrate the foresight to act to remove the Colorado River system from recent crisis management.”  

Located just west of Palisade, Colorado, OMID is supplied with water from the Colorado River as part of the Grand Valley Project in western Colorado. The District supports a diverse agricultural economy, where favorable conditions allow growers to produce orchards, vineyards, vegetables, alfalfa, and small grains across 9,219 acres. These crops rely on consistent river flows that deliver high-quality water to over 6,000 parcels and form the backbone of the agricultural economy in Mesa County and across the Western Slope.  

Jackie Fisher, Orchard Mesa Irrigation District General Manager celebrated the Bureau award and added, “We deeply appreciate the funds awarded by the Bureau of Reclamation which will directly benefit the agricultural producers and rural economies on the western slope of Colorado. Our water users are primarily made up of local family farms and ranches which are facing significant challenges from diminishing streamflow and aging infrastructure, and we are grateful for this opportunity to increase the reliability and efficiency of the system they all rely on. None of this would have been possible without many incredible partnerships, especially that of the Farmers Conservation Alliance, along with all the very talented people I am lucky to work with.”  

The Colorado River District advocates for water users throughout its fifteen-county district in Western Colorado. The River District works closely with organizations like OMID to ensure that the unique communities which depend on the Colorado River and its major tributaries on the West Slope have a voice in the future of those rivers.