Upper Gunnison River Conservancy District awards grants to 16 local organizations

$260K+ spread throughout the area for water projects

The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) voted at their last meeting to award $260,106 to organizations and individuals in the Upper Gunnison River Basin. Grant funds will be used for projects that improve irrigation water management and efficiency, restore degraded stream channels and improve aquatic habitat, support engineering and design and carry out basin water education.  

There was a diverse group of project applications from all over the Upper Gunnison River. Examples include a Town of Crested Butte Boardwalk Bog Bridge project; a Western Colorado University study exploring the effects of harmful algal blooms on the foraging patterns of kokanee; Arch Ditch diversion automation project; and the Dos Rios Golf Course irrigation modernization and conservation project. 

All applicants were required to provide a 50% cost match and their projects had to be consistent with the District’s purpose, mission and objectives.

UGRWCD senior program manager Beverly Richards reported during the 2024 grant cycle, the District received requests for funding that totaled $315,739. “This is the District’s 15^th annual grant program. After that period of time, you can see the results of this program in every basin. Over the last 15 years, the District has invested $2.2M into the program and leveraged $11.7M in outside funds,” she said. 

Richards noted the District Grant Funding Program is a prime example of the District’s dutiful allocation of tax revenues to directly benefit diverse water projects in the basin. “The District’s grant award dollars leverage matching funds at a ratio of 1:3, which is an outstanding return of the District’s investment in these projects.” 

The UGRWCD Grant Program follows an annual cycle with applications due in February each year. Richards urges potential applicants or individuals, even those just wondering about a water project, to contact the District now so that the District can help with engineering or infrastructure assessment that can assist prospective applicants in being funded. 

 If you have a water project in mind, please call the District at (970) 641-6065 to schedule a consultation.