diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 663c69d09..baf3cc3ea 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ cycamore Change Log
 * Updated build procedure to use newer versions of packages in 2023 (#549)
 * Added active/dormant and request size variation from buy policy to Storage (#546, #568, #586, #587)
 * Update build procedure to force a rebuild when a test file is changed (#584)
+* Define the version number in `CMakeLists.txt` and rely on CMake to propagate the version throughout the code (#589)
 
 v1.5.5
 ====================
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 155f41b9a..b67d493ae 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED(VERSION 2.8)
+CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED(VERSION 3.16)
 #taken from http://geant4.cern.ch/support/source/geant4/CMakeLists.txt
 IF(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
     message(STATUS "Cycamore requires an out-of-source build.")
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ IF(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
 ENDIF()
 
 # This project name is cycamore.
-PROJECT(CYCAMORE)
+PROJECT(CYCAMORE VERSION 1.5.5)
 
 # check for and enable c++11 support (required for cyclus)
 INCLUDE(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
@@ -344,9 +344,9 @@ IF(NOT CYCLUS_DOC_ONLY)
     SET(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_LICENSE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE.rst")
 
     # Version
-    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR "1")
-    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR "4")
-    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH "0")
+    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR "${CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}")
+    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR "${CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}")
+    SET(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATCH "${CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
 
     # Dependencies
     SET(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "cyclus (>= 1.4.0)")
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index fb08841ad..68f3badf2 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ARG make_cores=2
 COPY . /cycamore
 WORKDIR /cycamore
 
-RUN python install.py -j ${make_cores} --build-type=Release --core-version 999999.999999
+RUN python install.py -j ${make_cores} --build-type=Release
 
 FROM cycamore as cycamore-test
 RUN cycamore_unit_tests
diff --git a/install.py b/install.py
index 3c86465ff..f476c575f 100755
--- a/install.py
+++ b/install.py
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ def install_cyclus(args):
                           ]
         if args.build_type:
             cmake_cmd += ['-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=' + args.build_type]
-        if args.core_version:
-            cmake_cmd += ['-DCORE_VERSION=' + args.core_version]
         if args.D is not None:
             cmake_cmd += ['-D' + x for x in args.D]
         if args.cmake_debug:
@@ -188,9 +186,6 @@ def main():
     build_type = "the CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE"
     parser.add_argument('--build-type', '--build_type', help=build_type)
 
-    parser.add_argument('--core-version', dest='core_version', default=None,
-                        help='Sets the core version number.')
-
     parser.add_argument('-D', metavar='VAR', action='append',
                         help='Set enviornment variable(s).')
     parser.add_argument('--cmake-debug', action='store_true', default=False,
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index b626877cf..509175b34 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # ------------------- Add all Concrete Agents ----------------------------
 
-EXECUTE_PROCESS(COMMAND git describe --tags OUTPUT_VARIABLE cycamore_version OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
 CONFIGURE_FILE(cycamore_version.h.in "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cycamore_version.h" @ONLY)
 
 SET(CYCLUS_CUSTOM_HEADERS "cycamore_version.h")
diff --git a/src/cycamore_version.h.in b/src/cycamore_version.h.in
index b3dc3de86..13ffd5b1a 100644
--- a/src/cycamore_version.h.in
+++ b/src/cycamore_version.h.in
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 #ifndef CYCAMORE_SRC_VERSION_H_
 #define CYCAMORE_SRC_VERSION_H_
 
-#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MAJOR 1
-#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MINOR 5
-#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MICRO 5
-#define CYCAMORE_VERSION "@cycamore_version@"
+#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MAJOR @CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR@
+#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MINOR @CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR@
+#define CYCAMORE_VERSION_MICRO @CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH@
+#define CYCAMORE_VERSION "@CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION@"
 
 #endif  // CYCAMORE_SRC_VERSION_H_