News Release Archive

Reclamation awards $7.5 million for communities to prepare and respond to drought

Communities in California, New Mexico and Utah will receive funding

Media Contact: Peter Soeth, 303-445-3615, psoeth@usbr.gov

For Release: March 12, 2020

Drought resiliency helps communities increase the reliability of their water supplies, improve water management and provide benefits to fish, wildlife and the environment.
Drought resiliency helps communities increase the reliability of their water supplies, improve water management and provide benefits to fish, wildlife and the environment.WASHINGTON – Through a competitive process, the Bureau of Reclamation has selected 12 projects in the states of California, New Mexico and Utah to receive $7.5 million in drought resiliency grants as part of the WaterSMART Drought Response Program. Drought resiliency helps communities increase the reliability of their water supplies, improve water management and provide benefits to fish, wildlife and the environment.

“Communities throughout the West need to be taking steps to prepare and build drought resiliency,” Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman said. “The projects being funded will allow communities to help themselves with locally driven projects to prepare for drought.”

The 12 projects will leverage $7.5 million in WaterSMART funding with more than $65 million in non-federal funding. The communities selected across the three states are as follows:

California

  • City of Chino ($750,000)
  • City of Clovis ($126,652)
  • City of Santa Ana ($750,000)
  • Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Chino ($750,000)
  • Long Beach Water Department ($750,000)
  • North Kern Water Storage District, Bakersfield ($750,000)
  • Rancho California Water District, Temecula ($750,000)
  • Rosedale-Rio Bravo Water Storage District, Bakersfield ($750,000)
  • Stanislaus Regional Water Authority, Turlock ($750,000)

New Mexico

  • Village of Tijeras ($748,980)

Utah

  • Navajo Nation ($300,000)
  • Town of Genola ($300,000)

To learn more about the projects selected, please visit Reclamation's drought website at https://www.usbr.gov/drought.

Through WaterSMART, Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Visit www.usbr.gov/watersmart to learn more.

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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.

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Project Descriptions