A major project to update the Maybell Diversion and headgate on the Yampa River is nearing completion as its users prepare for irrigation season.

The Nature Conservancy, Maybell Irrigation District and JHL Constructors have worked together on the $6.8 million endeavor, which makes possible the first remote operation of the headgate in over 126 years.

Maybell is home to one of the largest irrigation diversions on the Yampa River. It provides water to about 2,000 acres of irrigated hay meadows in Northwest Colorado through a series of lateral ditches that come off the Maybell Diversion located just west of Craig toward Dinosaur National Monument.

In the past, the headgate was manually operated, requiring a 3-mile round-trip hike and special tools and equipment to open the gates to the ditch. This often meant water was not used efficiently or at the most opportune times for ranchers.

In addition, the Maybell Diversion has previously posed challenges for both fish and recreational boat passage through that part of the river in Juniper Canyon. In the past, fish movement was constrained by low river flows, especially during irrigation season.

The Maybell reach has been considered a recreational-use hazard due to landslides, large boulders that block the river and push-up dams that hinder fish and boaters alike.

The newly modernized diversion and headgate will allow for remote operation and improved water delivery control to agricultural lands. It also aims to improve fish passage and recreational boat access. The redesign will connect two sections of floatable river with a constructed riffle at the diversion.

“We are excited to have this project completed,” said Mike Camblin, president of the Maybell Irrigation District. “Water is a precious resource, and this project allows us to manage it in the way the 21st century demands. We’re grateful to our partners, The Nature Conservancy, JHL Constructors and others who made this possible.”

Camblin also shared his appreciation for funding partners “who realized that this project was a benefit to stakeholders within the Colorado River Basin.” 

The Nature Conservancy’s freshwater project director, Jennifer Wellman, expressed the organization’s commitment to enhancing control of irrigation water and supporting native fish species.

“We are thrilled that the contractors were able to complete a substantial piece of construction this winter, and we can’t wait to hear feedback from recreational boaters on the Lower Yampa River,” she said.

Construction on the project, led by JHL Constructors, began in September 2023 and is on track to be completed by December 2024. However, favorable weather conditions allowed for significant progress through the fall and winter of 2023. JHL documented the project throughout construction, and an extensive gallery can be found at JHLConstructors.com/maybell-diversion-restoration/.

“Throughout my career, this project stands out as the most technically demanding, yet (it went) remarkably smooth,” said Charles Bisbee, JHL senior project manager, who praised the level of trust and dedication among team members and stakeholders.

“I truly believe that the entire team, being local — including our suppliers and sub-consultants — shares a genuine passion for making this project exceptional because it’s our home,” he added.

Project funding came from private donations and various local, state and federal grant programs, including the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Yampa-White-Green Basin Roundtable, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, the Yampa River Fund, the Colorado River Water Conservation District and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation RESTORE Colorado Program. 

“Support for this project has been inspiring,” said Wellman. “It has been a huge lift with many people working together, but means so much for the community, heritage ranching, fish, recreators and the river itself.”