Hickenlooper, Bennet Announce $152 Million in IRA Funding to Fight Western Drought, Fund Shoshone Project

On Friday, Jan. 17, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet shared the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) announcement of up to $152 million in federal funding for 17 projects in Colorado to combat the Colorado River crisis, increase drought resiliency, and restore habitats. The federal funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, which included $4 billion to mitigate the impacts of drought, including activities to support environmental benefits and promote ecosystem and habitat restoration. Several projects that will use this funding directly impact Mesa County to address drought and preserve our water. 

"This is great news for Western Colorado and especially for Mesa County," said Bobbie Daniel, Mesa County Commissioner. "The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's announcement of $152 million in federal funding for drought mitigation, water resiliency, and ecosystem restoration will have a lasting impact on our communities. This funding includes up to $40 million for the Shoshone Permanency Project, which protects historical Colorado River flows critical to our region, as well as support for projects like removing the Fruita Reservoir Dam and upgrading Orchard Mesa's irrigation systems. These efforts address the challenges of drought, safeguard our water resources, and enhance our agriculture, environment, and economy for generations to come."

Read Senator Hickenlooper’s original news release.