Utah Diversion Measurement and Telemetry Program 

Overview

The Utah Diversion Measurement and Telemetry (UDMT) Program is a federally funded, collaborative initiative between the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC) and the Colorado River Authority of Utah (Authority) with support from Jones and DeMille Engineering (JDE).  The intent of this Program is to enhance water monitoring infrastructure across the Upper Colorado River Basin within the State of Utah by installing real-time measurement and telemetry devices on diversion structures.

Eligible water users will receive a measurement structure and telemetry devices, installed at their point of diversion, at no cost to them.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the UDMT program is to support the implementation of the Upper Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) with the following key elements: 

  • Facilitate implementation of conservation and drought mitigation measures
  • Improve the understanding of existing water use in Utah
  • Enhance water supply and runoff forecasting capabilities
  • Optimize water distribution systems
  • Enable data driven water management
  • Provide federal funding opportunities for water users in Utah

Related Documentation

 APPLICATION

The application for the UDMT projects will be released on Monday, November 10, 2025, and must be submitted no later than midnight on January 9, 2026. 

UDMT Information Sessions

Location

Date

Time

Address
Information Webinar: Virtual 11/10/2025 6:00 PM Zoom Link: 
https://jonesanddemille.zoom.us/j/4357605844?pwd=cGJ4SzhFNnptWFkyOWZuVmhSS0FZdz09
Meeting ID: 435 760 5844     Passcode: 8267         One tap mobile+16699006833,,4357605844#  
Roosevelt 11/11/2025 6:00 PM  Jones and DeMille Office: 520 West Hwy 40, Roosevelt UT
Manila 11/12/2025 6:00 PM Daggett County Courthouse: 95 North 1st West, Manila UT
 Vernal 11/18/2025 6:00 PM Vernal City Hall/Community Room: 374 E Main St. Vernal UT
Price 12/2/2025 6:00 PM Jones and DeMille Office: 1675 South Hwy 10, Price UT
Monticello 12/3/2025 6:00 PM Jones and DeMille Office:696 North Main, Monticello, UT
Q/A Webinar: Virtual 1/6/2026 6:00 PM Zoom Link:
https://jonesanddemille.zoom.us/j/4357605844?pwd=cGJ4SzhFNnptWFkyOWZuVmhSS0FZdz09
Meeting ID: 435 760 5844     Passcode: 8267         One tap mobile+16699006833,,4357605844#  

*A virtual option will be available for all meetings- Please use the same link as listed above for the webinars*

FAQ’s

Eligible applicants may include canal companies, water conservancy districts, tribes, and individual water rights holders and must meet the following criteria:

  • Located in the Utah portion of the Upper Colorado River system
  • Have ownership in a valid water right associated with their project and appropriate permission to engage in the Program
  • Be willing to agree to the implementation requirements of the Program

  • Locations that are measuring a source diversion, return flow, or reservoir inflow-outflow
  • The installation of new measurement and telemetry equipment or upgrades to existing, non-functional measurement and telemetry equipment.

 The program is expected to kick off in Fall of 2025 with the first projects being installed in Spring of 2026. Subsequent batches of applications and installations will continue through 2027 or until funding is exhausted. The projects will be operated and maintained through at least September 2029.

  • Must comply with federal funding terms and conditions, including Buy America requirements
  • Are subject to NEPA compliance and other relevant state and federal permitting
  • Will require real-time measurement and telemetry
  • Will collect data that will be made publicly available through the Utah Division of Water Rights
  • Will be inspected by a member of the Project Team
  • Must be operated and maintained through Program duration (2029) 
  • Will be owned, operated, and maintained by the selected applicant after the Program has ended

Within available funding limits, participation in the Program will cover the cost of measurement and telemetry equipment, engineering and installation support, and operations and maintenance support through 2029.

Project applications will be reviewed by the UCRC and the Authority for both eligibility and assessed according to a predetermined set of ranking criteria. Based on funding availability and final ranking, projects will be selected. The selection process will be described in the application, with a sample ranking criteria sheet included.

Approximately $2 million of federal funding is available for installation of flow measurement and telemetry equipment in the Upper Colorado River system in Utah. Individual project funding limits will be informed by industry-standard cost estimates. Final funding amounts will be dependent on individual project details.

The program does not require a cost share but cost sharing may be considered on an individual project basis.  

Installation: The projects will be installed by JDE and IEI. In select cases, UCRC and JDE may work with qualified applicants who would like to self-install their project. 

Maintenance: Operations and maintenance (O&M) requirements will be provided for each project. The O&M responsibilities will be dependent on ownership and the timing of the transfer of ownership. For many projects, support and training on operations and maintenance will be available from JDE and IEI through 2029.

Ownership: Project ownership will either be transferred immediately upon the completion of the project or no later than 2029. Details will be clarified in each individual project implementation agreement.

Program Contacts

Contact List

Please fill out the form below to be added to the UDMT email list to receive program information and updates.