Colorado Water History

The Colorado State University Water Resources Archive offers an annual Water Scholar Award.

This annual award grants funding to researchers whose work on western water would benefit from access to the collection. The award is intended to help offset the expenses of researchers engaged in studies that will benefit from access to the holdings of the Water Resources Archive as well as costs associated with presentations, publications, or other products resulting from that research.

For the 2025 award, the total amount of funding is capped at $3,200, to be allocated to a maximum of three applications. Please apply only for the amount needed. Of special interest are applications concerning historical research related to the Colorado River Interim Guidelines expiration in 2026.

Applications are due January 31. Find full information in PDF file below.

We welcome applicants from any profession and any discipline, as well as from anywhere in the U.S. and abroad. We especially welcome graduate student applicants. Email Patty Rettig (link at right) with any questions.

Past recipients include:

2022, Ryan Hearty, Johns Hopkins University

2023, Holly Roth and David Vail, University of Colorado Boulder and University of Nebraska at Kearney (respectively)

2024, Ben Stanley, University of Delaware