News Release Archive

Reclamation Selects Recipients of $1.8 Million in CALFED Water Use Efficiency Grants

Media Contact: Shana Kaplan, 916-978-5100, skaplan@usbr.gov

For Release: June 06, 2014

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  — The Bureau of Reclamation today announced its selection of six projects across California to receive a total of $1.8 million in CALFED Water Use Efficiency grants for Fiscal Year 2014. Combined with local cost-share contributions, more than $11.7 million in water management improvement projects will be implemented during the next 24 months.

The selected projects will conserve an estimated 3,600 acre-feet per year of water, contributing to the CALFED Bay-Delta Program objectives of improving ecosystem health, water supply reliability and water quality. California and federal agencies are partners in the 30-year program (2000-2030).

Regional Director David Murillo stated, “During this period of severe drought, California water districts and agricultural producers are working especially hard to conserve water and efficiently use their scarce water resources. We are very pleased to provide these CALFED Water Use Efficiency grants to help our partners and customers accomplish their water management goals.”

Reclamation selected the projects through a competitive process, giving  priority consideration to projects that address CALFED goals on a statewide basis.

These grant awards follow the May 6 White House release of the Third National Climate Assessment, which provides details on how climate change already is affecting every region of the United States – making innovative solutions that improve water delivery systems and water use efficiency essential in carrying out the President’s Climate Action Plan.

Cawelo Water District
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Cost: $739,000
The water district, in partnership with the North Kern Water Storage District, proposes concrete lining of 900 feet of the Calloway Canal. The lining will essentially eliminate the seepage loses in the reach, with the expectation to conserve 315 acre-feet annually.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Cost: $1,300,000
The program would offer residential and commercial customers an incentive to replace water-consuming turf landscapes with climate-appropriate landscapes through an existing regional rebate program, with an estimated water savings of 180 acre-feet annually.

Rancho California Water District
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Costs: $2,645,114
This project includes an upgrade of 20,165 radio transmitter devices, which provide for “drive-by” collection of water consumption data that is communicated to an advanced metering network system. Deployment of a related, web-based application will provide customers access to their accounts to view both real-time flow information and 13 months of historical usage data. It is expected to conserve more than 1,300 acre-feet annually.

Sacramento Suburban Water District
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Costs: $5,416,775
A collaborative project between three water supply agencies in the Sacramento region, the project proposes to install 1,850 residential water meters to achieve water savings estimated at 275 acre-feet annually.

Sacramento Suburban Water District
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Costs: $979,200
This project will retrofit a minimum of 3,000 residential housing units through the direct installation of indoor water-efficient fixtures (toilets, showerheads and aerators) to achieve an estimated water savings average of about 125 acre-feet annually in the Sacramento region.

West Kern Water District
Reclamation Funding: $300,000                                                      Total Project Costs: $651,288
This project will replace about 2.6 miles of an existing earthen channel with a concrete-lined canal and upgrade the flow-control capabilities and metering of a primary pump station. This project is expected to save about 1,456 acre-feet annually.

For more information on the CALFED Water Use Efficiency Program, please contact Lee Mao at
916-978-5202 (TTY1-800-877-8339) or lmao@usbr.gov.

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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.