The headgates are open and water is returning to Highline Lake in the state park located outside of Grand Junction (Colo.).  The lake — fed by the Government Highline Canal and connected to the Colorado River — was drained in November after a years-long battle against invasive zebra mussels. Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that it began refilling the lake on March 31.  The first adult zebra mussel was found in the lake in 2022, marking the first discovery of the species in Colorado water. After finding more mussels, Colorado Parks and Wildlife launched a response that included applying molluscicide to the lake, water sampling, cleanup efforts and ultimately, draining the lake entirely. This was the first time the lake was fully emptied in 60 years. 

Other Colorado River Basin news:

• The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colo.): CPW took advantage of empty Highline to do dredging, aid fishery
• Gunnison Country Times (Colo.): Opinion: Improving basin water resources one project at a time
• ABC News: Water recycling could ease shrinking of Colorado River, new report finds
• Center for Biological Diversity: Report: Arizona, New Mexico surveys show chronic livestock damage to endangered species, streams
• KVUE (Austin, Tex.): Video: LCRA opens new floodgate at Mansfield Dam on Lake Travis