- Reclamation is funding 17 new research projects with $1.95 million.
- Several projects focus directly on the Colorado River Basin.
- Researchers will study Lake Powell evaporation and Grand Canyon springs.
- Artificial intelligence could make some water models much faster.
- Other projects target invasive fish, quagga mussels and harmful algae.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 — The Bureau of Reclamation
is investing nearly $2 million into research ranging from Lake Powell evaporation to artificial intelligence, invasive species and the health of springs in the Grand Canyon.
The agency announced on August 24, 2026, that it is awarding $1.95 million to 17 new internal research projects for fiscal year 2026. Another $1.9 million is expected through matching funds from cost-sharing partners.
Several of the projects deal directly with problems facing the Colorado River Basin, where drought and increasing pressure on water supplies continue to complicate management.
Others look farther into the future, testing technology that could change how quickly water managers analyze rivers, reservoirs and watersheds.
Research Focuses on the Colorado River.
One project will study new ways to monitor springs in the Grand Canyon between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead.
The goal is to better understand changes in both the amount and quality of groundwater reaching those springs.
Another project will work on improving short-term water quality forecasts at Glen Canyon Dam. Researchers also plan to develop a forecast dashboard that can share water quality information with interested parties.
At Lake Powell, researchers will turn their attention to a familiar problem: evaporation.
Investigators will study historical evaporation losses from the reservoir. That information will be used to improve estimates of how much water could be lost to evaporation through the end of the century.
Lake Mead Research Looks at Harmful Algae.
Farther downstream, researchers in southern Nevada will study phosphorus in sediment along the Las Vegas Wash.
Phosphorus is a nutrient. Scientists want to better understand how phosphorus stored in the sediment might be released into Lake Mead.
The research is intended to help develop strategies for preventing harmful algal blooms.
Artificial Intelligence Enters the Water World.
Some of the new projects focus heavily on technology, including artificial intelligence.
One research team is developing machine-learning models for river and watershed simulations. These models will incorporate the physical rules that govern how water behaves.
Reclamation says the technology could make some computer modeling runs 100 to 1,000 times faster.
That could matter when water managers need answers quickly.
Faster models could help with emergency planning, analysis of uncertain conditions and everyday decisions at Reclamation facilities.
“These projects allow Reclamation to apply scientific ingenuity and technical advancements to tackling our toughest water and power challenges now and into the future,” Research and Development Program Manager Ken Nowak said.
Another project will examine GeoAI, which combines artificial intelligence with geographic information and mapping technologies.
Researchers will explore whether it could improve the speed, scale and accuracy of environmental monitoring and infrastructure assessments.
Satellites, Drones and Snowpack.
The research program also reaches into space.
One study will examine snow water equivalent data collected by a satellite launched in July 2025.
Snow water equivalent is a way of measuring how much water is contained in snow. That measurement is important because snowpack helps water managers estimate future water supplies.
Researchers will study whether satellite data can improve water supply forecasts and the operations that depend on them.
Drones are also part of the research.
One project will examine whether drones and LiDAR, a technology that uses light to measure distances, can quickly and affordably map the bottom of a reservoir while it is underwater. Researchers will also use the information to evaluate sediment management work.
Another study will investigate drones for remote sensing and targeted herbicide applications. Reclamation says the technology could reduce costs and improve worker safety.
Fighting Invasive Species.
Several projects address invasive species, which can create expensive problems for waterways and water infrastructure.
At Grand Lake in Colorado, researchers will investigate how invasive mysis shrimp affect water clarity. The project will also explore possible ways to reduce their population.
Another project will test automated smart traps that use artificial intelligence to catch invasive fish.
The research will focus on non-native channel catfish, smallmouth bass and green sunfish in the San Juan and Colorado rivers.
Quagga mussels are getting scientific attention as well.
One study will examine the quagga mussel genome to identify genes that might someday serve as targets for biological control.
The invasive mussels attach themselves to water infrastructure and are costly for Reclamation to manage.
Small Projects With Broad Questions.
The 17 projects are part of Reclamation’s Science and Technology Research Program, an agency-wide competitive program for applied research and development.
Reclamation employees submit research proposals in five broad areas: water infrastructure, power and energy, environmental issues related to water delivery and management, water operations and planning, and the development of water supplies.
Projects are selected based on their technical merit and how closely they relate to Reclamation’s mission.
The individual projects vary widely, from microscopic genes in invasive mussels to satellites monitoring Western snowpack.
For the Colorado River Basin, several of the questions are especially practical: How much water is disappearing from Lake Powell through evaporation? What is happening to Grand Canyon springs? Can water quality be predicted more effectively? And can new technology give water managers useful information faster?
The newly funded research is designed to help Reclamation investigate those questions.
