In 1865 Congress established the Colorado River Indian Tribal (CRIT) Reservation. In 1867 Congress appropriated funding to construction the Grant-Dent Irrigation canal. By 1870 the construction of the Gran-Dent canal was completed, and operation of the canal began the same year. Due to season elevation changes the diversion point had to be moved. To facilitate a more efficient diversion system, the newly selected diversion point was Headgate Rock; appropriations were obtained in 1874. Operations of the new diversion point continued until the completion of the Headgate Rock Dam. Through authorization under the River and Harbors Act of 1935, the construction of Headgate Rock Dam began in 1938. The construction of the Headgate Rock Dam was completed in 1941, providing irrigation water diversion facilities for tribal lands in Arizona.
Through resolution, in 1977 the CRIT council requested Federal assistance in the construction of facilities to generate hydroelectric power on the Colorado River Reservation, so that CRIT would be able to expand its irrigated agricultural reservation land, engage in water-oriented recreation, and engage in residential development. In 1980 a plan of development was drafted. The Headgate Rock Hydroelectric Project would supplement the existing sources of electric power (Parker-Davis Project, Colorado River Storage Project, and Arizona Public Service) by supplying the electric power requirements for the operation of the Reservation’s irrigation and drainage facilities, and a portion of the residential and commercial power requirements. The plan included a hydroelectric generation power plant with a rated capacity of 19,500 kilowatts. The rated output would be achieved via three tube-turbine generators, rated 6,500 kilowatts each. The energy from the power plant would be transmitted to the BIA Headgate Rock Substation, where it would intersect with Western Area Power Administration 161 kV power lines.
Congress directed the Headgate Rock Dam Hydro Electric Project to be constructed under the Authority of the Snyder Act (Act of November 2, 1921, 42 Stat. 208). Construction efforts began in 1985 and were completed in 1994. Today the Colorado River, Electric Services consists of the power plant, five distribution substations, one transmission substation, ~9,000 power poles, ~330 miles of high voltage power lines. Providing ~80,000 Mega Watt Hours of electrical power to the residential, commercial, and irrigation services within the boundaries of the CRIT Reservation.
