News Release Archive

Reclamation Announces $2.8 Million in ARRA Funding to Improve Groundwater Management Activities near Yuma, Arizona

Media Contact: Doug Hendrix , (928) 343-8145

For Release: May 06, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Reclamation, an agency of the Department of the Interior, has awarded a $2.8 million contract to AZCA Drilling & Pump, Inc., of Ehrenburg, Ariz., under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

AZCA Drilling & Pump will replace 21 existing groundwater wells that have deteriorated with new, high-capacity production wells to help recover groundwater from beneath several irrigation districts surrounding Yuma, Ariz. In addition to replacing the deteriorated wells, the new wells will provide additional capacity to the large-scale water delivery and drainage return flow system that serves these irrigation districts.

"This project will greatly improve water delivery and groundwater drainage controls for irrigation water supplies in the Yuma area," said Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor.

If left unattended, the high groundwater tables in the Yuma area can adversely affect the production and yield of crops grown in this area. Reclamation implemented a groundwater management project here in the 1960's to help keep the groundwater below the level where it will adversely affect crop growth. The recovered water is either returned to the Colorado River, where it is included in deliveries to Mexico, or bypassed to a wetlands in Mexico.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was enacted in 2009 provided $3 billion to the Department of the Interior.

The ARRA funds represent an important component of the President's plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under the ARRA, Interior is making an investment in conserving America's timeless treasures - our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage - while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.

"With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come," Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department's economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery. Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely with Interior's Inspector General and ensure the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency set by President Obama.

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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. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.