Western Colorado Area Office

The Western Colorado Area Office consists of two offices, located in Grand Junction and Durango, and several field offices with projects encompassing western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and northeastern Arizona. The office is responsible for Reclamation projects and program activities in the Upper Colorado, Gunnison, Yampa, White, Dolores, Uncompahgre, Animas, and San Juan river basins and works with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation, and Navajo Nation, as well as numerous water user organizations.

News and Highlights

  • Special Use Area – July 2023

    Silt Pumping Plan MapSilt Pumping Plant

    The Silt Pumping Plant parcel located in Garfield County, Colo. has been designated a special use area for recreation. Beginning August 1, selected areas on the parcel will be available for fishing, wildlife watching and limited waterfowl hunting.

    The parcel is owned by Reclamation as part of the Silt Project which includes Rifle Gap Dam and Reservoir. Reclamation manages recreation on the Silt Pump Plant parcel, while the Silt Pump Plant and Canal and lands are managed by the Silt Water Conservancy District as Reclamation’s Managing Entity. The special use area designation document can be viewed on the Document Library site under Miscellaneous Documents.

    Doc Library 

  • News Release – June 1, 2022

    Paradox Valley Unit Facility in western Colo.Six-month test of injection well begins at Paradox Valley Unit

    GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Bureau of Reclamation today restarted operations of the Paradox Valley Unit (PVU), a crucial salinity control facility for the Colorado River system. For the next six months, the PVU will operate at a reduced capacity to gather data that will help guide future operational decisions. Read More 

  • News Release – May 17, 2022

    Reclamation advances water delivery project for the Navajo Nation with contract negotiations for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project's San Juan Lateral

    DURANGO, COLO. - The Bureau of Reclamation invites members of the press and public to a virtual meeting for negotiations with the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) for a carriage contract of non-project water through San Juan Lateral features of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, located near Shiprock, New Mexico. This contract for San Juan Lateral features will facilitate the use of the PNM reservoir for storage and water deliveries to the Navajo Nation and City of Gallup. Read More 

  • News Release – January 14, 2022

    Reclamation advances water delivery project for the Navajo Nation with contract negotiations for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project's Cutter Lateral

    DURANGO, Colo. - The Bureau of Reclamation invites members of the press and public to a virtual meeting where negotiations will continue for a transferred works contract with the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority for operational, maintenance, and replacement of federally-owned Cutter Lateral features of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, located near Bloomfield, New Mexico. Read More 

Environmental Planning Current Focus

Reservoir Information

Aspinall Unit: Status | Releases
Blue Mesa: Status | 40-Day Data
Crystal: Status | 40-Day Data
Flaming Gorge: Status | 40-Day Data
Fontenelle: Status | 40-Day Data
Lake Powell: Status | 40-Day Data
Navajo: Status | 40-Day Data

Tea-Cup Storage Diagrams

Related Links

Last Updated: 7/13/23