Southern California Area Office - Programs and Activities
The Bureau of Reclamation's Southern California Area Office administers several programs to assist urban, agricultural, and rural water management agencies in water resources management. These include:
Title XVI
Through the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act of 1992 (Title XVI of Public Law 102-575), Reclamation investigates and identifies opportunities for water reclamation and reuse, and for ocean and brackish groundwater desalination. Title XVI also authorizes funding for specifically authorized water reclamation and desalination projects throughout Southern California.
Planning
Reclamation provides water management assistance to address complex water issues on local, regional, and state-wide levels to help develop integrated water resources management plans. We also provide technical assistance to develop strategies for conservation, water recycling and reuse, salinity management, ground and surface water conjunctive management, storm water augmentation programs, and other watershed management opportunities.
Water Conservation
The Southern California Area Office encourages and facilitates water conservation and efficiency improvements on Federal and non-Federal projects and assists agencies in meeting their demands for limited water resources.
Native American Affairs
Reclamation assists Native American Tribes within Southern California in identifying and managing reliable water supplies for their lands. The office also provides technical assistance like drilling test wells, or education about alternative or innovative strategies to manage tribal water resources.
Environmental Documents and Assistance
Reclamation helps local water agencies evaluate environmental impacts of their water resources projects by preparing documentation of environmental compliance, coordinating resource agency reviews, and providing opportunity for public comments. We also review actions proposed by other agencies to identify potential effects on Reclamation projects or natural resources within Reclamation's areas of expertise.
