Prize Competitions

Prize Competitions spur innovation by engaging a non-traditional solver community. Competitions can complement traditional research and target Reclamation’s most persistent science and technology challenges. Competitions use prizes to incentivize solvers to submit solutions and are open to a solver community that includes members of the public, businesses, and other organizations.

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News & Media

• Prize Competition - Award

  Reclamation Selects Seven Phase 1 Winners for Crack the Case Prize Challenge

  July 6, 2026 — The Bureau of Reclamation selected seven phase 1 winners of the Crack the Case Challenge. The phase 1 winners each will receive $30,000 prizes and a chance to further develop prototypes and complete testing on systems to detect subsurface cracks in phase 2 of the challenge. Read More →

• Prize Competition - Launch

  Reclamation launched a new prize competition to detect subsurface cracks in embankment dams

  March 12, 2026 — The Bureau of Reclamation launched Crack the Case, a multi-phased prize competition, to develop methods capable of detecting and locating subsurface cracks within embankment dams, including cracks with no surface expression. Winning ideas will share in a total prize purse of $400,000. Read More →

• Prize Competition - Launch

  Reclamation launched a new prize competition to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species

  Feb. 26, 2026 — The Bureau of Reclamation launched a new prize competition, Halt the Hitchhiker, to address aquatic invasive species in watercraft ballast. The competition is muti-phased and seeks to innovative approached that can kill, exclude, or inactivate invasive species while still safe for watercraft, users, and the environment. Winning ideas will share in a total prize purse of $550,000. Read More →

• Prize Competition - Award

  Reclamation Awards $250,000 for Seal Team Fix prize competition Phase 1

  Jan. 7, 2026 — The Bureau of Reclamation has selected five phase one winners for the Seal Team Fix prize competition to design a rapid, high-pressure seal to control failed dam conduits and safeguard water and power. Solvers selected to move to Phase 2 will share in the $225,000 prize purse for Phase 2. Read More →

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Prize Competitions Recaps and Fact Sheets

• May 2022 - Automated Maintenance Protection Systems Challenge
  Read more about the status of the competition and the Phase II competitors.

• March 2022 Prize Competitions Recap
  In The Spotlight: Streamflow Forecast Rodeo: In March 2022 Reclamation announced the 10 winners for the yearlong Streamflow Forecast Rodeo prize competition.

• January 2022 Prize Competitions Recap
  In the Spotlight: Snowcast Showdown: This competition launched on December 7, 2021 and seeks improved methods to estimate the snow water equivalent over the Western United States using near real-time data sources.

• November 2021 Prize Competitions Recap
  Exciting news in reducing canal seepage! Reclamation selected five Phase I winners in the Water America’s Crops Challenge. Each winner will receive a $50,000 prize and are now working to develop their solution into a lab-scale prototype for Phase II.

• September 2021 Prize Competitions Recap
  In the Spotlight: More Water, Less Concentrate. Five finalists have been selected; each will receive up to $115,000 for prototype development.

• July 2021 Prize Competitions Recap
  In the Spotlight: Canal Safety Challenge: Exciting news from the Canal Safety Challenge! Three finalists have been selected; each will receive $50,000.

• May 2021 Prize Competitions Recap
  In the Spotlight: Imperfection Detection: Detect Me if You Can: This multi-phase competition launched on March 4, 2021 and seeks innovative concepts/methods/technologies to inspect and assess the condition of infrastructure for water storage and water delivery made from fiber reinforced composite materials.

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