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Bureau of Reclamation Provides Financial, Technical, and R &D <br />for Affordable Canal Modernization <br />Tom Gill, Bureau of Reclamation <br />Since it's inception in 1902, the em- <br />phasis of the Bureau of Reclama- <br />tion's mission has gradually evolved <br />from development to management of <br />water resources in the western United <br />States. Up through the 1960s and into <br />the 1970s, tasks related to new project <br />construction were a major part of Rec- <br />lamation's activities. Since the 1970s, <br />much of Reclamation's focus has <br />shifted to issues associated with opera- <br />tion, maintenance, and improvement of <br />existing facilities. These efforts often <br />include minimizing project impacts <br />on habitat and enhancing the abil- <br />ity to manage and conserve water to <br />better meet the needs of all stakehold- <br />ers. Canal modernization represents <br />an important aspect of Reclamation's <br />efforts to improve water management <br />and conservation. <br />Reclamation activities related to canal <br />modernization could be categorized <br />into three areas: providing financial <br />assistance; providing technical assis- <br />tance and information; plus research, <br />development, demonstration and <br />deployment (referred to as RD3 by <br />Reclamation's Science and Technology <br />Program) of appropriate /affordable <br />flow measurement and canal control <br />technologies. Often, Reclamation's <br />involvement in a particular project will <br />include two or even all three of these <br />areas. <br />Financial Assistance <br />Reclamation's Water 2025 initiative, <br />through which funding was first made <br />available in Fiscal Year 2004, was set <br />14 <br />N <br />dE <br />M <br />01 <br />aj <br />Colorado recipients of Water 2025 Challenge Grants <br />include: FY 2004 — Mancos Water Conservancy Dis- <br />trict, Mancos; Lower South Platte Water Conservancy <br />District, Sterling; FY 2005 — Grand Valley Irrigation <br />Company, Grand Junction, Groundwater Management <br />Subdistrict, Greeley, and the West Divide Water Con- <br />servation District and Silt Water Conservation District, <br />Silt. Activities in the funded proposals include canal <br />infrastructure improvements, rebate cost assistance for <br />installation of flow monitoring equipment, construc- <br />tion of new facilities to enable delivery and marketing <br />of water between neighboring districts, and installa- <br />tion of canal lining. <br />Financial assistance has also been provided through <br />Reclamation's Water Conservation Field Services Pro- <br />gram (WCFSP). Funding through this program is ad- <br />ministered through Reclamation's Regional and Area <br />Offices. Examples of canal - related projects in Colo- <br />rado that have recently received assistance through the <br />