The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP
Drilling Industry NewsWater

Feds Invest $50 Million in Colorado River Basin Sustainability

But Critics Say It’s Not Enough

By The Driller Staff
The Colorado River somewhere in the West

Image via MCCAIG from Getty Images Signature

June 6, 2025

The federal government is putting money behind efforts to protect one of the West’s most important—and most stressed—water sources. This week, the Department of the Interior, along with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Upper Colorado River Commission, announced they’re rolling out $50 million to improve water infrastructure across the Upper Colorado River Basin.

The goal: To collect better data, boost efficiency, and build long-term resilience in a region where water shortages have become the norm.

We recently wrote a deeper feature about the importance and impact of the Colorado River Basin, which you can read here.

“This investment is already making a real impact,” said Scott Cameron, Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, in a press briefing. “By improving the accuracy of water use measurement, we’re laying the foundation for better decision-making that ensures a sustainable Colorado River System for generations to come.”

This funding is part of a larger effort to get a clearer, real-time picture of how water is used and where it’s going in the Upper Basin states—Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. So far, that’s meant installing 10 Eddy Covariance towers to track how drought and land management are affecting local ecosystems, and setting up 31 new streamgages to better measure water flow and delivery. Colorado and Wyoming have also launched high-tech Airborne Snow Observatory programs to monitor snowpack levels—an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to predicting how much water will be available each year.

“These investments provide the best-available science and data we need to continue to improve water use accountability and planning,” said Chuck Cullom, Executive Director of the Upper Colorado River Commission. “Accurate, real-time data allows the Upper Division States to meet our responsibilities under the Law of the River and enhance drought preparedness.”

Over the next two years, the states plan to expand these efforts with an additional eddy covariance tower, 32 more streamgages, 5 weather stations, and approximately 2,000 diversion measurements. Evaporation studies, another key focus, are expected to help quantify losses from the system—an issue often underrepresented in traditional models.

However, while federal and state officials laud the initiative as a long-overdue technological leap, some environmental groups and downstream stakeholders argue it’s a band-aid on a deeper systemic wound: overuse and climate-induced scarcity.

“Better data is great, but it doesn’t solve the core issue—we’re still using more water than the river can provide,” said Jennifer Pitt, Colorado River program director at the National Audubon Society. “These investments help manage scarcity more precisely, but we need actual reductions in consumption to stabilize the river.”

Others question whether the funding will translate into action fast enough to avert looming shortages, particularly as Post-2026 Operating Guidelines are being developed to replace expiring agreements that govern the river’s use. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the new framework is expected by the end of the year.

“There’s a lot of emphasis on infrastructure, but what we really need is a policy shift that prioritizes equity, especially for Tribal Nations that have historically been excluded from water management decisions,” said Anne Castle, a senior fellow at the University of Colorado Law School and former Assistant Secretary for Water and Science.

The Colorado River, which supplies water to over 40 million people, irrigates more than 5.5 million acres of farmland, and supports 30 Tribal Nations as well as two states in Mexico, is under historic stress. Reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell have hovered at critically low levels, triggering emergency conservation measures in recent years. 

David Palumbo, Acting Commissioner of Reclamation, defended the initiative, stating: “This momentum reflects the strength of federal-state partnerships in tackling the West’s most urgent water challenges. We remain committed to supporting our Basin partners as we plan for both immediate needs and the long-term future of the Colorado River.”

As policymakers, scientists, and water managers race against time and a changing climate, the $50 million investment may represent both promise and a stark reminder: no amount of monitoring can replace the need for lasting, systemic change.

KEYWORDS: government policy water conservation water management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Nd logo

This article was written by The Driller staff.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • geotechnical drilling rig

    6 Onsite Phrases Environmental Drillers Hate

    Here are six phrases that highlight common frustrations...
    Geotechnical Investigation
    By: Jeff Garby
  • Wayne Nash

    Pipe Stuck? Common Causes and Solutions for Drillers

    If you have drilled for any length of time, sooner or...
    World According to Wayne
    By: Wayne Nash
  • submersible pumps, water well pumps

    Selecting and Sizing Submersible Pump Cable

    This article helps pump installers and servicers decide...
    Pumps
    By: Bob Pelikan
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the The Driller audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The Driller or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit
    Sponsored byGeoprobe

    Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

Popular Stories

The Driller Newscast episode 148 - The Big, Not-So-Beautiful Bill: How to Lose Clean Energy and Alienate the Planet

The Big, Not-So-Beautiful Bill: How to Lose Clean Energy and Alienate the Planet

taxcredits.png

GOP Lawmakers Urge Elimination of Tax Credits for Geothermal Programs

A bison grazing at Yellowstone

Over One Thousand National Park Sites Open for Mining

The Driller Classifieds

COMPRESSORS

EAST WEST MACHINERY & DRILLING IS BUYING AND SELLING AIR COMPRESSORS, AIR BOOSTERS, AIR ENDS & PARTS
Company: East West Machinery

DRILL RIGS

LOOKING FOR LATE MODEL TOPHEADS & DRILLTECH D25'S
Company: Spikes’s Rig Sales

DRILL RIG PARTS

MEETING DRILLERS NEEDS AROUND THE WORLD
Company: East West Machinery

ELEVATORS

SEMCO INC. PIPE ELEVATORS
Company: Semco Inc.

GROUTERS

GROUTING EQUIPMENT - GROUT PUMPS & GROUT HOSE REELS
Company: Geo-Loop Inc.

PUMP HOISTS

SEMCO INC. - BASIC PUMP HOISTS
Company: Semco Inc.

WELL PACKERS

LANSAS PRODUCTS - INFLATABLE WELL PACKERS
Company: Vanderlans Lansas Products

WELL SCREENS

WELL SCREENS & SLOTTED PIPE
Company: Alloy Screen Works

Products

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

By carefully explaining both the underlying theory and the underlying mathematics, this text enables readers to fully grasp the fundamentals of physical and chemical treatment processes for water and wastewater.

See More Products

Subscribe to The Driller Newscast

Related Articles

  • A picture of a declining reservoir in Colorado

    Colorado River Basin in Crisis

    See More
  • Polis colorado energy grant geothermal.jpeg

    Colorado Invests $7.7 Million in Geothermal Energy Initiatives

    See More
  • Colorado River Basin Bureau.jpeg

    Draft of Environmental Impact Statement for Colorado River Promised by December

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • M:\General Shared\__AEC Store Katie Z\AEC Store\Images\ND\new site\in-too-deep.gif

    In Too Deep: BP and the Drilling Race That Took it Down

  • drilling.jpg

    Clay Science in Drilling and Drilling Fluids

  • 9780128201930.jpg

    DRILLING ENGINEERING

See More Products

Related Directories

  • Baski Inc.

    Our product line has expanded to include standard and custom designs of Packers, Frackers, Pitless Units, and Flow Control Valves (FCV). We also manufacture Aluminum Frac Pipe.
  • Shallow Draft Elevating Boats Inc.

    Shallow Draft is the leader in over the water barge drilling in two feet to 40 feet. Highway truckable to any location. Ocean freightable to any destination. Unblemished record of success since 1987! Shallow Draft IS THE GO TO COMPANY in the industry for tough over the water projects.
  • Waterline Envirotech Ltd.

    Waterline Envirotech Ltd. is a small woman-owned and operated business, for over 40 years it has served all sectors of the water well industry. Our instruments feature strong, flexible tapes with stainless steel conductors on a free-standing, braked reel. We manufacture our products here in the USA.
×

Dig deeper into the drilling and water supply industry!

Build your knowledge with The Driller, covering the people, equipment and technologies across drilling markets.

SIGN UP NOW
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Classifieds
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing