- A new environmental review begins for sediment mitigation in the Verde River system.
- Temporary water release reductions at Davis Dam will support caddisfly control efforts.
- Summit County Road 1812 reopens near Green Mountain Dam after months of closure.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 –– The Bureau of Reclamation announced a number of water projects yesterday that impact Colorado River Basin states.
Verde River Reservoirs Targeted for Sediment Restoration and Capacity Boost.
Reclamation announced the launch of an environmental impact statement process under the National Environmental Policy Act for the Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Project
. The project will explore various strategies to restore storage capacity at Horseshoe Reservoir and mitigate ongoing sediment accumulation throughout the Verde River system in central Arizona.
Among the preliminary alternatives under review are two new configurations for Bartlett Dam, at least one non-structural solution, a no-action alternative, and others to be developed during the federal review. The project also emphasizes improving water management resilience and reliability for regional water users, including municipalities, farmers, and tribal nations.
The feasibility study, funded through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, involves coordination among multiple agencies. These include the Salt River Project, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Public scoping meetings, both virtual and in-person, will be held between July 28 and August 1 in Fountain Hills, Tempe, Carefree, and online. Written comments will be accepted through August 10. Visit Reclamation’s Project Page to submit online comments.
This initiative is part of the broader effort by the Department of the Interior and Reclamation to enhance water security in the Colorado River Basin, a watershed that serves more than 40 million people and irrigates over 5 million acres of farmland.
Davis Dam Water Release Adjustments Aim to Reduce Caddisfly Nuisance.
Reclamation plans to temporarily reduce water releases from Davis Dam on July 29, 2025, in response to community concerns about seasonal caddisfly outbreaks in Laughlin, Nevada, and Bullhead City, Arizona. The nine-hour flow reduction, starting at 3 a.m. and ending at 12 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, will drop river levels, leaving caddisfly pupae and larvae exposed to drying and natural predators such as birds and bats.
This adaptive management experiment is being conducted as part of a regional abatement strategy involving federal scientists, reservoir operators, and local businesses. Officials emphasize that while the water reduction is temporary, it may expose riverbed hazards, and caution is advised for all recreational users during the low-flow period.
Updated schedules for releases at Davis Dam and Parker Dam are available on the Bureau’s Colorado River Operations web page. Further questions can be directed to the Lower Colorado Basin River Operations Control Center.
.Summit County Road 1812 Reopens After Months of Mudslide Concerns.
Meanwhile, in Colorado, Reclamation announced the reopening of Summit County Road 1812 on August 1, 2025. The road, which provides access to Green Mountain Dam and Powerplant, has been closed since April due to mud and debris accumulation. Recent mitigation efforts, including the removal of unstable slope material, have reduced the risk to motorists and pedestrians. However, officials caution that future closures may still occur following snowmelt or heavy rain.
The road is part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, a major water diversion and storage network that transfers Colorado River water across the Continental Divide to support irrigation on 615,000 acres and serve more than one million residents in Northeastern Colorado. The system also supplies hydroelectric power to nearly 68,000 homes and offers recreation opportunities throughout the region.
Visitors are urged to avoid stopping in marked slide zones and to confirm road conditions in advance by contacting Reclamation’s Eastern Colorado Area Office.
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