About
The WCRC – Grand Valley is located in Mesa County northeast of Fruia, CO at an elevation of about 4,510 feet, where the average annual precipitation of 10 inches is similar to much of the arid irrigated regions of Western Colorado. Crops are grown at this 80-acre station using traditional furrow irrigation on some fields, while using more efficient technology and practices on others.
The frost-free season of up to 175 days and average annual daily minimum and maximum temperatures of 41°F and 64°F, respectively, allows WCRC – Grand Valley to conduct the bulk of agronomic research at the Western Colorado Research Center, including research on forage crops, corn, barley, and pulse crops.
Our Mission: The mission of the WCRC-GV is to conduct fundamental and applied research for the purpose of developing and validating new knowledge and technologies that address the goals of optimal water use, regenerative soil management, climate-smart practices, and supports agricultural vitality and profitability for the people of Western Colorado and beyond.
Technical Report: Diversity of Agronomic Research in Western Colorado PDF
Advisory Committee
[describe the role of the advisory committee, how often they meet and how they form decisions about what happens at the GVRS]
Steve Acquafresca
Colorado Basin Roundtable
Wayne Brew
Colorado Corn Administrative Committee
Chris Cohu
Colorado Mesa University
Judi DeVore
Mesa Conservation District
David Harold
Tuxedo Corn, Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association
Dave Kanzer
Colorado River District
Tom Kay
North Fork Organics, Delta County Planning Commission
Lowell King
Hit The Hay Farm
Joe Landini
Fruita Consumers Co-op
Mark Richards
George Rosenbaum
Winddrift Farms
Steve Woodis
Down to Earth
Troy Waters
Waters Farms LLC, Mesa County Agricultural Advisory Panel, Grand Valley Water Users Association