Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper celebrated the unanimous Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024), which includes Colorado projects to manage flood risk and promote healthy waterways.
“As Colorado faces a hotter and drier future, we must ensure our water infrastructure can meet our state’s changing needs,” said Bennet. “I’m grateful for the Senate passage of this important package, which will help protect Colorado’s vital waterways and resources for the next generation.”
“Water is always on our mind in Colorado. More erratic weather that brings both longer droughts and stronger floods is taxing our infrastructure,” said Hickenlooper. “These new investments will help communities future-proof.”
WRDA is passed every two years to authorize projects that address water management, flood control, ecosystem restoration, and long-term clean water priorities.
The bill includes the following Colorado projects:
- $20 million authorized for El Paso County to address water supply and stormwater management.
- A feasibility study of a project to restore ecosystems along Monument and Fountain Creeks and to rehabilitate the Templeton Gap Levee in Colorado Springs.
- A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and U.S. Government Accountability Office study to help speed the completion of two projects to promote healthy waterways along the South Platte River and neighboring water systems in the Denver area.
- A boost in the federal share for assistance from USACE for Continuing Authorities Programs (CAPs) to allow USACE to participate in smaller-scale projects to reduce flood damages and restore aquatic ecosystems.
Last year, Bennet and Hickenlooper called on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to support these Colorado projects as part of WRDA.