News Release Archive

Distribution Plan Available for FY 2017 Funding for Bureau of Reclamation

A majority of funding will be available for water conservation and delivery, Western drought response and rural water projects

Media Contact: Patti Aaron, 202-513-0544, paaron@usbr.gov

For Release: June 21, 2017

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Reclamation Acting Commissioner Alan Mikkelsen today released the spending plan for $112.3 million of the total $179.3 million provided to Reclamation in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, which provided funds in six categories within Water and Related Resources for Reclamation activities. These funds are a portion of the 1.365 billion provided to Reclamation that had not yet been designated by project. The funds will go toward water conservation and delivery, Western drought response, rural water projects, and other important projects.

"A sustainable water supply is important to everyone throughout the West," Acting Commissioner Mikkelsen said. "The funding in this spending plan will assist infrastructure improvements that supports Reclamation's mission of delivering water and generating power in the Western United States."

The funding of $112.3 million is divided among six categories:

• water conservation and delivery ($12.0 million);
• Western drought response ($40.0 million);
• rural water ($46.5 million);
• environmental restoration and compliance ($7.0 million);
• fish passage and fish screens ($5.0 million); and
• facility operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation ($1.8 million).

Reclamation received $67.0 million in the water conservation and delivery category for water storage projects pursuant to implementation of Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act. Reclamation is not prepared at this time to submit the Secretary's recommendations for specific projects for this funding.

The remaining $12.0 million has been allocated to essential water conservation and delivery projects in the West. They are:

• Central Valley Project (California) - Miscellaneous Project Programs: $3.0 million;
• Columbia Basin Project (Washington) - Ephrata: $400,000;
• Lewiston Orchards Project (Idaho): $3.6 million;
• Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (Washington): $4.0 million;
• Recreation and Fish and Wildlife Program Administration (Various): $1.0 million.

While the West is currently experiencing a good water year, extreme and prolonged drought has gripped major river basins across the West for many years. The $40.0 million provided for Western drought response will support nine projects:

• Central Valley Project, which includes funding for the Delta Division, Sacramento River Division, Shasta Division and Miscellaneous Project Programs (California): $16.05 million;
• Lower Colorado River Operations Program (Arizona, California, and Nevada): $6.0 million;
• Colorado River Basin Salinity Program, Title I (Arizona, California, and Nevada): $5.0 million;
• WaterSMART Grants (Various): $4.5 million;
• Drought Response Program (Various): $3.5 million;
• Rogue River Basin Project (Oregon): $2.1 million;
• Upper Colorado River Operations Program (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming): $1.5 million;
• Columbia/Snake River Salmon Recovery Project (Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington): $1.0 million;
• Salton Sea Research Project (California): $350,000.

Reclamation continues to advance the completion of its authorized rural water projects consistent with current fiscal and resource constraints with the goal of delivering potable water to tribal and non-tribal residents within the rural water project areas. A total of $46.5 million will go toward five projects:

• Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program - Garrison Diversion Unit (North Dakota) $17.0 million;
• Fort Peck Reservation/Dry Prairie Rural Water System (Montana) $10.625 million;
• Rocky Boy's/North Central Montana Rural Water System (Montana) $8.5 million;
• Lewis and Clark Rural Water System (South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota) $6.375 million;
• Eastern New Mexico Water Supply (New Mexico) $4.0 million.

The remaining $13.8 million will go toward seven projects:

• Environmental restoration and compliance in the Central Valley Project, Delta Division and Water and Power Operations (California): $7.0 million;
• Fish passage at Cle Elum Dam within the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (Washington) $4.0 million;
• Fish passage through the Yolo Bypass in the Central Valley Project, Sacramento River Division (California): $1.0 million;
• Preliminary design to rehabilitate the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel Treatment Plant, (Colorado): $945,000;
• Facility operations, maintenance and rehabilitation in the Middle Rio Grande Project (New Mexico): $500,000;
• Removal of an unsafe and deteriorated bridge in the Yuma Area Projects (Arizona): $200,000;
• Completion of repair of damaged radial gates at Minidoka Dam (Idaho): $155,000.

Visit http://www.usbr.gov/budget/ to view a summary of all the projects in this spending plan.

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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.