Water Conservation Field Services | WaterSMART

WaterSMART Program

The American West faces serious water challenges. Wide-spread drought, increased populations, aging infrastructure, and environmental requirements all strain existing water and hydropower resources. Adequate and safe water supplies are fundamental to the health, economy, and security of the country. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation will continue to work cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.

WaterSMART Grants

Water and Energy Efficiency Grants
WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants provide cost-shared funding for projects that save water; increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy in water management; support environmental benefits (i.e., make conserved water available instream or otherwise address endangered species issues); mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply sustainability in the western United States.

Small-Scale Water Efficiency Grants
The new small-scale water efficiency projects funding opportunity is for small improvements that have been identified through previous planning efforts. This grant is replacing the implementation grants previously funded under the Water Conservation Field Services Program. Projects eligible for funding include installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system, lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, small rebate programs that result in reduced residential water use, or other similar projects that are limited in scope.

Water Marketing
Through this grant program, Reclamation will provide grants to conduct planning activities in developing a water marketing strategy to establish or expand water markets or water marketing transactions. Water marketing refers to water rights transactions, include the lease, sale or exchange of water rights, undertaken in accordance with state and federal laws, between willing buyers and sellers. A water market refers to a formal arrangement, based on a set of rules and/or water management agreements, to allow for water rights transactions within a specific geographic area. A “water marketing strategy” consists of planning activities including engineering, hydrologic, legal, economic, and other types of analysis, and the development of rules, legal agreements, software and logistical arrangements for water marketing.

Cooperative Watershed Management Program
The Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CWMP) contributes to the WaterSMART strategy by providing funding to watershed groups to encourage diverse stakeholders to form local solutions to address their water management needs. By providing this funding, Reclamation is promoting the sustainable use of water resources and improving the ecological resilience of rivers and streams using collaborative conservation efforts.

Funding is provided on a competitive basis for two types of activities:

  • Watershed Group Development & Watershed Restoration Planning

    In 2012, Reclamation began providing funding for the establishment or further development of watershed groups (Phase I). A watershed group is a self-sustaining, non-regulatory, consensus-based group that is composed of a diverse array of stakeholders, which may include, but is not limited to, private property owners, non-profit organizations, Federal, State, or local agencies, and Tribes. As part of Phase I activities, applicants may use funding to develop bylaws, a mission statement, watershed management project concepts, and a watershed restoration plan. For Phase I projects, Reclamation will award a successful applicant up to $50,000 per year for a period of up to two years with no non-Federal cost-share required.

  • Implementation of Watershed Management Projects

    Starting in 2017, Reclamation will provide cost-shared financial assistance to watershed groups to implement watershed management projects (Phase II). These on-the-ground projects, collaboratively developed by members of a watershed group, will address critical water supply needs, water quality, and ecological resilience, helping water users meet competing demands and avoid conflicts over water. Program The Bureau of Reclamation has released a funding opportunity for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase II grants, which provides funding to watershed groups for on-the-ground watershed management projects.

Drought Response

Reclamation reformulated its existing drought program in 2015 to improve assistance to States, Tribes, local governments, and districts or other organizations with water or power delivery authority as they build resilience to drought.

Funding for the Drought Program is allocated through a competitive process for the following activities:

  • Drought Contingency Planning

    Reclamation provides financial assistance to develop or update drought contingency plans. Plans must include input and participation by a diverse set of stakeholders. Plans also consider climate change impacts to drought conditions and identify potential drought mitigation and response actions to build resilience to drought as exacerbated by climate change. Actions identified in the plans may be eligible for funding as “drought resiliency projects” so long as they meet program requirements. Drought planning is an essential tool for communities and all levels of government to reduce the impacts from drought before a crisis occurs.

  • Drought Resiliency Projects

    Reclamation also provides financial assistance to implement projects that build long-term resiliency to drought. Proposed projects that are supported by an existing drought contingency plan will be prioritized for program funding.

Applied Science Tools

Through these grants, Reclamation provides funding to non-Federal entities for the development of tools and information to support water management for multiple uses. Eligible projects include the development of modeling and forecasting tools, hydrologic data platforms, and new data sets.


Related Links
Reclamation WaterSMART Program
2010-2016 WaterSMART Progress Report
WaterSMART Progress Report Fact Sheet
WaterSMART 2010-2016 Data Visualization Tool


Contact

Brandon Barrow
208-590-0513
bbarrow@usbr.gov

Bureau of Reclamation
Columbia—Pacific Northwest Regional Office
1150 N. Curtis Road
Boise, ID 83706-1234


Last Update: 4/1/24