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Applications Set To Open: Spring 2026!

We recommend you check back-in later to apply for this invaluable research opportunity.

Interested In Conducting Water Research?

We seek proposals for student research projects related to water resources on Colorado’s Western Slope. The program is open to all disciplines, including, but not limited to, the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The research must be directly relevant to water issues in the Upper Colorado River Basin in Colorado, including any watersheds that are tributary to the Colorado River.

Past Research Reports And Projects

Check out all the research we have previously supported! We hope you apply to conduct research of your own and support our ongoing water research efforts.

An Investigation of the Selenium Concentration in Thenardite Efflorescences on Mancos Shale, Western Colorado. Faculty Researchers: Rachael C. Lohse and William C. Hood.

Application of RGB and multispectral drone (sUAS) photogrammetry of alluvial fans in the Grand Valley of Colorado USA for detecting shallowly-buried channel features that may act as groundwater conduits. Student Researcher: KennaLee Worster. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gregory Baker. 

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Snowmelt and Snow Persistence on the Grand Mesa. Faculty Researchers: Meghan Cline and Joel Sholtes.

Using Waste-Based Biochar to Address the Selenium Issue in Western Colorado’s Water: Final Report. Student Researcher: Blake Shewmon. Faculty Advisor: Freddy Witarsa.

Testing the applicability of microbial source tracking method using qPCR for determining
the source of high levels of fecal contamination in Western Slope waterways. Student Researcher: Amaya Brooks. Faculty Advisors: Zeynep Ozsoy and Freddy Witarsa.

Water Conservation and Contaminant Removal from Greywater Using Colorado Native Plants in a Hydroponic Green Wall. Student Researchers: Holly Stanley and Ashley Emery. Faculty Advisors: Freddy Witarsa, Bill Adams, and Troy Miller.