Biden-Harris Administration Invests More Than $84 million in 36 Drought Resiliency Projects

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of the Interior today announced a $84.7 million investment from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help 36 communities throughout the West prepare and respond to the challenges of drought. The selected projects will help bring clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through investments in innovative drought resilience efforts, such as groundwater storage, rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, water reuse, ion exchange treatment, and other methods to stretch existing water supplies.

"As climate change exacerbates drought impacts throughout the Western United States, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is advancing our work to invest in innovative, locally-led water infrastructure projects and provide clean, reliable water to families and communities across the country," said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo. "Today's funding will assist our local partners as they work to build drought resilience and improve water security for their community."

"Drought resilience is more important now ever as the West is experiencing more severe and longer droughts," added Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. "This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in locally-led projects will help solidify community's water supplies and allow families and farmers to respond to the challenges posed by drought." 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $8.3 billion for Reclamation water infrastructure projects over the next five years to advance drought resilience and expand access to clean water for families, farmers and wildlife. The investment will repair aging water delivery systems, secure dams, complete rural water projects, and protect aquatic ecosystems. Today's funding announcement is part of $1 billion provided through the law for the innovative WaterSMART program, which supports states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and avoid potential water conflicts.

The projects selected for funding are:

Arizona

• Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District, MSIDD Drought Resiliency Water Augmentation Program, Phase 2A Central Zone Project, $5,000,000
• Sonora Environmental Research Institute Inc., Increasing Rainwater Harvesting Capacity in Low-Income Neighborhoods, $40,000
• Town of Chino Valley, Town of Chino Valley Water Demand Rate Study to Analyze, Develop and Deploy New Rate Structures, $44,120

California

• Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, AEWSD Drought Recovery Wells and Conjunctive Use Modeling Tool, $2,000,000
• California Land Stewardship Institute, Creating Long-Term Water Supply Resiliency for the Communities of Ukiah Valley and the Upper Russian River, $1,531,635
• Cawelo Water District, Reuse Produced Water Project, $5,000,000
• City of Big Bear Lake, Wolf Reservoir Boosters and Pipeline Project, $1,600,000
• City of Rialto, City 3A Groundwater Well Treatment Facility Project, $2,000,000
• Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District, Turnipseed Water Bank Phase VI, $2,352,759
• Fresno Irrigation District, Carter-Bybee Recharge Basin Project, $2,000,000
• Goleta Water District, Goleta Water District Airport Well Treatment Project, $2,000,000
• Pixley Irrigation District, Phase I - Lateral #4 Expansion Project, $2,000,000
• Porterville Irrigation District, North West Service Area Conjunctive Use Groundwater Recharge Project, $460,891
• San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, Cactus Basins Connector Pipeline Project, $1,353,519
• Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, S Wells Per- & Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Treatment & Disinfection Facilities, $5,000,000
• Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District, Southeast Recharge Facility and Conveyance Improvements, $500,000
• Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District, Kimberlina Pipeline Conveyance Improvement Project, $1,315,083
• Stockton-East Water District, Stockton East Water District Aquifer Storage and Recovery Well, $600,000
• Trout Unlimited, Inc., Portola Redwoods State Park Drought Resiliency Project, $1,473,621
• Western Municipal Water District of Riverside County, Inc., Building Groundwater Reliability and Resiliency: Regional Well Installation and Water Quality Treatment Project, $5,000,000

Colorado

• City of Aurora, North Campus Radial Collector Well - Drought Resilience Initiative, $5,000,000
• Deutsch Domestic Water Company Inc., DDWC Storage and Efficiency Improvements, $585,000

Idaho

• Enterprize Canal Company, Enterprize Canal Company Conveyance Improvement and Aquifer Recharge Facility, $5,000,000
• Falls Irrigation District, Snake River Plain Aquifer Wells Project, $415,606

Nevada

• Southern Nevada Water Authority, Septic System Conversion Incentive Program, $1,747,500

New Mexico

• City of Gallup, Drought Resiliency Ground Water Well, $5,000,000
• New Mexico Acequia Association, Regions of New Mexico with Acequia Water Distribution Systems: Tools to Adapt to Water Scarcity and Guide Implementation of Strategies to Increase Acequia Community and Water Resilience, $1,464,685

Utah

• Clinton City, Clinton City Well and Water Storage Project, $2,000,000
• Draper Irrigation Company, Draper Irrigation Company Reuse Pump Station Project, $5,000,000
• Granger-Hunter Improvement District, GHID Anderson Water Treatment Plant and Well No. 18 Project, $5,000,000
• Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, Building Drought Resilience Through Increased Groundwater Production Capacity and Aquifer Storage and Recovery, $3,200,000
• Liberty Pipeline Company, Liberty Pipeline Company Drought Resiliency Project, $1,547,700
• Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, WBWCD AV Watkins & Siphon Replacement and South Delivery Conduit Project, $3,754,393
• West Corinne Water Company, West Corinne Water Company Culinary Well and Booster Pump Project, $2,000,000

Washington

• City of Walla Walla, Aquifer Storage and Recovery, $1,600,000
• Washington Water Trust, Walla Walla Basin Water Management Decision Support Tool Project, $87,500

The project descriptions and information about the program are available at www.usbr.gov/drought.

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Bureau of Reclamation