Commissioner's Offce News Releases

DOI Denver Project SEARCH Students Prepare for Graduation

DENVER - The Bureau of Reclamation will host the graduation ceremony for the Department of the Interior Denver Project SEARCH students this Wednesday, May 29. The 11 students have held internships at several DOI bureaus, including the Bureau of Reclamation, and with the Jefferson County School District.

Project SEARCH is a combined education and work experience program for students with disabilities who are in their last year of high school. Each student participates in two or three 10-15 week work experiences during the program year, where they spend their entire school day working in their various rotations. This program prepares participating students for competitive employment in the community.

DOI partners with local organizations including Jefferson County Public Schools, Employment Link, Developmental Pathways, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the ARC of Jefferson County to provide students with real-life work experience, independent living skills and employment tools to help them succeed. The Bureau of Reclamation serves as the host agency providing a classroom, internships and internal coordination while the other partners provide a teacher, job coaches and support services for students.

The Project SEARCH team works with agencies within DOI (Denver Federal Center) to provide a customized experience for each student in an environment that will allow them to be successful and bring value to the agencies.

The graduation ceremony will be followed by a celebration for all of the students as they prepare to take their next career steps using their well-earned experience and work skills.

Interior Department to Hire Nearly 17,000 Young People to Work on Public Lands

Interior Department to Hire Nearly 17,000 Young People to Work on Public Lands Secretary Jewell Announces $4.2 Million in Competitive Grants to Employ more than 600 Young Americans at 22 Projects

PORTLAND, Ore. – In response to President Obama's challenge to expand employment opportunities for youth, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced $4.2 million in grants to support conservation employment and mentoring opportunities for more than 600 young people ages 15-25 on public lands across the country.

The grants, which support the Obama Administration's efforts to develop a 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), include $1.27 million from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), which helped leverage $2.65 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and $275,000 from Wells Fargo.

"This initiative is a model of how public-private partnerships can both conserve our land and provide opportunities for our young people to obtain jobs skills and broaden their horizons by connecting with the great outdoors," said Secretary Jewell. "Through the 21CSC, we hope to expand these partnerships that foster economic opportunities and create a connection with nature for young people that lasts a lifetime."

The 21st Century Conservation Service Corps is a national collaborative effort to put America's youth and returning veterans to work protecting, restoring and enhancing America's great outdoors. This year, the Department plans to provide conservation employment opportunities to nearly 17,000 youth in national parks, wildlife refuges, and on other public lands.

Jewell and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales kicked off the summer work season at an event in Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Oregon where they were joined by Krystyna Wolniakowski, Pacific Northwest Regional Director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and members of the Northwest Youth Corps, one of this year's grant recipients.

"By providing more than 600 conservation jobs, this partnership will help introduce young people from diverse backgrounds to meaningful employment opportunities, mentorships and the joy of the great outdoors," said Jeff Trandahl, Executive Director and CEO of NFWF. "Our investment will be matched by more than twice that amount from the grantees, and helps to foster a new generation of conservationists."

In 2009, the Department established a Department-wide program and strong performance goals with participation of all of the bureaus and offices led by the Office of Youth in the Great Outdoors to engage, educate, and employ youth. Since then, the Department has built one of the largest and most visible youth programs at the national level, employing more than 84,000 youth through direct hires and partnerships on public lands.

The grants announced today, awarded through a competitive process, will support 22 projects on public lands throughout the West. They are funded through the America's Great Outdoors: Developing the Next Generation of Conservationists initiative.

In addition to providing valuable conservation work experience, the grants will result in more than 1,000 volunteer opportunities to expose young people to the great outdoors.

The 22 projects announced today are below. Additional details are available here.

PROJECTS

ALASKA:

64 Degrees North Restoration: The Salcha Delta Soil and Water Conservation District, housed in Delta Junction Alaska, is working with the BLM and other federal agencies in environmental stewardship programs to connect the land and people through technical guidance resource management assistance. This project, 64 Degrees North Restoration, will connect youth to the environment by hiring five rural Alaskan youth (ranging in age from 14 to 25) and one crew leader through an eight-week educational instruction and hands-on conservation program working with BLM field staff and wildlife biologists to develop skills for conservation careers. $19,850 BLM; $25,000 Wells Fargo; $50,000 non-federal funds.

ARIZONA:

Youth & Wildlife Conservation at Las Cienegas Grasslands: The Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) will expand an existing youth education opportunity focused on black-tailed prairie dog (BTPD) reintroductions and the AAF's Southeast Arizona Grasslands Pronghorn Initiative in the summer season of 2013. The AAF will partner with the Southwestern Conservation Corps to hire and equip eight youth to accomplish the necessary pronghorn fence modifications on Las Cienegas and to support intensive observation and mark and recapture efforts on four newly BTPD established colonies. The youth will work for 12 weeks in the summer spending half of their time on the BTPD project and half on the pronghorn fence modification project. $79,400 BLM; $95,000 non-federal funds.

Arizona Youth Conservation Engagement Pathway Pilot Project: The Gila Watershed Partnership, in collaboration with Friends of the Verde River Greenway and Ironwood Tree Experience, will develop an innovative pilot project called the "Arizona Youth Conservation Engagement Pathway Pilot Project." This pathway will begin early in high school, continue through community college, and include experiential activities, training and participation in youth conservation corps programs. $70,000 BLM; $10,000 Reclamation; $227,338 non-federal funds.

CALIFORNIA:

Engaging Youth as Land Stewards: The Student Conservation Association, Inc. (SCA) will provide stipends to six conservation crews working thoughout the state to improve wildlife habitat in California. Through this project, 42 youth will receive work skills and career training and 10 young adults will be employed as crew leaders. The crews will be mentored by field staff from the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and SCA while working on lands of high conservation value: King Range Conservation Area, Lacks Creek Management Area, Mike Thompson Wildlife Area, South Spit of Humboldt Bay, Headwaters Reserve, Tunnison Mountain, Skedaddle, Bodie Hills WSAs and Travertine Hot Springs ACEC. $55,000 BLM; $12,500 Reclamation; $25,000 Wells Fargo; $192,500 non-federal funds.

San Joaquin River Weed Management and Jobs Creation Project: River Partners will work with the San Joaquin Regional Conservation Corps (SJRCC) to employ local youth, ages 18 to 25, in invasive species mapping, monitoring and management along the San Joaquin River in Merced County. This is an area which reports high unemployment and poverty rates, as well as high rates of childhood obesity and asthma – maladies that have been linked to lack of access and exposure to the outdoors. The San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) seeks to restore a self-sustaining population of native fish to the highly degraded San Joaquin River. $72,313 Reclamation; $25,000 Wells Fargo; $25,000 non-federal funds.

The California Public Lands Education Project: The Public Lands Education Project is a collaborative effort between the BLM and community-based organizations to educate and employ under-served youth from inner city communities that are diverse in race, gender, and ethnicity. The project will build a bridge from diverse communities to public lands through a three-day LEARN AND EARN program for 48 youth who will earn a stipend while learning how to monitor and restore natural habitats significant to California's landscape legacy on BLM lands in or near the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument. $50,000 BLM; $25,000 Wells Fargo; $80,000 non-federal funds.

Coastal Habitat Restoration at Dockweiler State Beach: The Los Angeles Conservation Corps (Corps) will continue to implement the ongoing restoration plan for Coastal Habitat Restoration at Dockweiler State Beach by restoring native dune and bluff habitats and creating conditions to promote the return of native plants and wildlife, including the endangered native El Segundo blue butterfly. Through this project, 16 young adults will be employed as corpsmembers to participate in the Corps' SEA Lab (Science Education Adventure Laboratory) paid job training program at the site and complete the habitat restoration work to create coastal bluff stability and viable breeding ground for the butterfly. $50,000 Wells Fargo; $74,000 non-federal funds.

Hat Creek Youth Initiative: California Trout will launch its Hat Creek Youth Initiative (HCYI), developed by California Trout and supported by the BLM Alturas Field Office, to provide meaningful natural resource mentorship and conservation job-readiness internships for at least 32 at-risk and minority youths from predominately Native American backgrounds. This youth initiative will also engage participants in a tangible, meaningful, hands-on conservation project: the restoration of the Hat Creek Wild Trout Area in North-east California. The HCYI will bring local minority youth into a collaborative, high-profile and dynamic stream restoration effort and will connect youth with government officials, researchers, tribal members and NGOs, who can provide vitally needed education and mentoring. $86,250 BLM; $447,274 non-federal funds.

CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, OREGON & WASHINGTON, DC:

Celebrate Shorebirds (Celebra las Aves Playeras): The Environment for the Americas (EFTA) will engage Latino youth in natural resource careers and conservation activities for a second year through its Celebrate Shorebirds Program, which was supported by an America's Great Outdoors project in 2012/2013, and addressed the challenge agencies face recruiting and retaining underserved audiences. The project also supports agency efforts to increase Latino staff and will involve youth in gathering valuable data on migratory shorebirds in Colorado, California and Oregon in collaboration with the BLM. Building on its successful implementation in 2012/2013, the project will introduce Latino youth to birds, their migrations and the conservation issues that threaten them. It will provide training and mentoring for eight interns. $82,600 BLM; $132,940 non-federal funds.

COLORADO:

Snook's Bottom Riparian Restoration Project: This project will be carried out through a Cooperative Agreement between Reclamation and the Western Colorado Conservation Corps to employ youth crews to assist in habitat revegetation efforts. This project will employ eight youth to transplant wetland plants from other wetlands in the area to vegetate the constructed wetlands, cut and plant willow and cottonwood poles, and install additional native riparian plants that will be purchased as nursery stock. $15,000 BOR; $5,000 non-federal funds.

San Luis Valley Engaging Youth in Conservation: The Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) will engage 70 local youth from Colorado's San Luis Valley in 12 weeks of service work and educational activities in partnership with the BLM. The "San Luis Valley Engaging Youth in Conservation" program will expand the SCC Los Valles Region's current youth programs by providing more opportunities for 14-20 year old participants to explore career paths in natural resource conservation while completing high-priority projects on public lands in their own communities. The program will combine hands-on field work, outdoor living, experiential education activities and career preparation resources during four-week summer sessions in 2013 and 2014. $47,000 BLM; $25,000 Wells Fargo; $162,652 non-federal funds.

IDAHO:

Twin Falls District Sage-grouse Habitat Restoration: The BLM, Twin Falls District, will conduct habitat restoration throughout the district on areas burned by wildfires in 2011 and 2012 to benefit the sage-grouse, a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, and other wildlife dependent on sagebrush-steppe habitats. Youth volunteers from communities in south-central Idaho will work with BLM and Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists and ecologists to implement shrub planting and seed collection projects and will have the opportunity to learn about species biology and ecology, as well as the importance of habitat conservation and restoration. The project activities will foster an appreciation for wildlife, the outdoors and public lands management and will directly benefit sage-grouse, other sagebrush-steppe species and mule deer. $35,000 BLM; $37,368 non-federal funds.

MONTANA: Corps of Recovery - Youth Conserving Lewis & Clark's Montana: The Montana Conservation Corps will partner with the BLM and Reclamation and receive support from the World Wildlife Fund and others to restore and enhance habitat at multiple priority sites that mirror Lewis and Clark's 1805 journey in Montana, including the Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument. Youth from urban communities, Indian reservations and small Montana towns will be exposed to career opportunities in conservation and complete 8,000 hours of conservation activities to benefit wildlife. $80,000 BLM; $20,000 Reclamation; $174,642 non-federal funds.

NEVADA

Reclamation and Nevada Conservation Corps Collaborative: The Great Basin Institute, in partnership with Reclamation and the Nevada Conservation Corps (NCC), will provide youth crews to support conservation projects at sites along the Colorado River between Boulder City and Laughlin. The goal is to continue habitat restoration work at the Big Bend of the Colorado Conservation Site by targeting tamarisk and other invasive plants for eradication, and to continue trail construction and maintenance at the Colorado River Heritage Greenway Park and Trail project near Laughlin, Nev. $19,600 Reclamation; $4,900 non-federal funds.

Youth Restoration of Forests and Rangelands in Nevada: The BLM will employ a 10-person NCC crew to accomplish approximately 850 acres of sage-grouse habitat enhancement and forest and woodland restoration projects on Carson City District (CCD) BLM lands. The project will start in this summer and conclude in the fall of 2014. The CCD currently partners with the NCC on several projects that were implemented in the last five years. This project expands on this already successful partnership by recruiting local Native American youth to become NCC crew members. $100,000 BLM; $210,472 non-federal funds.

Walker River Youth Conservation Initiative: The Mason Valley Conservation District (MVCD) will partner with the Rite of Passage School in Mason Valley, Nev. to provide opportunities for at-risk youth attending the school to participate in natural resource education while simultaneously gaining employment in these fields. MVCD will employ a part-time educator to coordinate classroom lectures on conservation topics in the Walker River Basin such as noxious weeds, abandoned farmland restoration, hydrology, ecology, geology, wildlife and native plants. The educator will give weekly presentations for a period of from seven to nine months and provide job shadowing with resource professionals at the school and field sites. This project will provide the opportunity for eight-10 youth who successfully complete classroom activities and job shadowing tasks to be employed on actual MVCD projects to perform pertinent restoration tasks. $50,000 Reclamation; $56,655 non-federal funds.

NEW MEXICO

Wind Mountain Stewardship Project: The Rocky Mountain Youth Corps will partner with New Mexico State Land Office, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the BLM to restore Wind Mountain area mule deer habitat while providing job training and education to eight northern New Mexico low income and tribal youth over a 48-day period. The conservation crew will use chain saws to thin juniper and pinon pine from a 33-acre parcel of state land and create 3,800 feet of enclosures to stimulate aspen regeneration. $39,720 BLM; $40,000 non-federal funds.

¡YouthWorks! New Conservationists Youth Crew Project: The ¡YouthWorks! New Conservationists Youth Crew project will expand on 10 years of experience and partner with the BLM Taos Field Office to create meaningful employment for youth through environmental restoration and conservation activities in three areas at project sites north and south of Santa Fe, N.M. The three areas have been designated as high need by the BLM. Project activities will include: (1) fire hazard reduction; (2) invasive species removal; (3) native species planting; (4) kiosk construction; (5) watershed restoration; and (6) fence repair and construction to protect designated areas of public lands threatened by illegal activities such as dumping and off roading. $47,350 BLM; $50,000 Wells Fargo; $113,825 non-federal funds.

OREGON

Portland Urban Youth Corps: The Portland Urban Youth Corps (PUYC) is a partnership between the Northwest Youth Corps (NYC), the BLM, Wolftree, Inc. and the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council. The PUYC will build upon NYC’s existing conservation programs to expand opportunity for 40 Portland, Ore. teens, ages 16-19, who are minority, urban and at-risk. This project will support crews as they carry out a total of 7,650 hours of paid conservation projects through a five-week program. Activities will improve habitat for endangered steelhead trout, fall chinook and coho salmon and maintain and create recreational trails in the BLM’s Sandy River Basin. Other partners include the Port of Portland and the Johnson Creek Watershed Council. $28,500 BLM; $50,000 Wells Fargo; $99,480 non-federal funds.

Habitat-fish status in Northeast Oregon ESA Chinook populations: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will enhance an existing program in the Upper Grande Ronde Basin. With the aid of three student interns from the Student Conservation Association, the students will be monitoring restoration activities in Catherine Creek and reference sites in the Minam River. Wild populations of salmon and steelhead throughout the Pacific Northwest have declined to levels posing serous risk of extinction. Populations of chinook and steelhead in the Grande Ronde Basin are now federally listed as threatened. Scientists from state, federal and tribal agencies are monitoring salmonid adult and juvenile abundance, life stage specific survival and habitat conditions to assess status and evaluate responses to recovery actions. $75,587 Reclamation; $72,280 non-federal funds.

Engaging Young Adults in Native Plant Propagation: The Northwest Oregon Restoration Partnership (NORP) will engage young adults from the Columbia River Youth Corps, Tillamook Options Program School, Nestucca High School and the Oregon Youth Authority in the propagation of native plants to restore riparian, wetland and upland landscapes in northwest Oregon. NORP, which is coordinated by the Tillamook Bay Watershed Council, oversees the propagation of more than 75,000 native plants annually for landscape-scale watershed restoration projects implemented by its partners on private lands adjacent to or administered by the BLM Salem District in Oregon. The service area of NORP covers approximately 4,000 square miles within five counties (Tillamook, Columbia, Washington, Clatsop and Yamhill). Partners include the BLM, watershed councils, land trusts, Oregon State Parks, the National Park Service, Soil and Water Conservation Service, Natural Resource Conservation Service, local schools and communities. $83,930 BLM; $180,000 non-federal funds.

UTAH

Escalante Watershed Restoration, Woody Invasive Control: The Grand Staircase Escalante Partners will hire 64 youth conservation corps members, ages 18-26, to assist in removing woody invasive species (primarily Russian olive) from 20 acres on Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and 25 acres on private lands directly upstream from Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. This project is part of a watershed-wide restoration effort to increase the number of sustainable, healthy riparian and floodplain communities in the watershed while reducing those dominated by woody invasive species. As part of the restoration effort, conservation job opportunities for youth will be created on public and private lands which expose young people to the natural world and career opportunities available in conservation. $95,000 BLM; $175,012 non-federal funds.

Reclamation, Partners will Study Water Supplies in Five Western River Basins

WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced $2.1 million will be made available under the WaterSMART Basin Study program to enable Reclamation to partner with local entities to conduct comprehensive studies of river basins in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada and Oregon.

"Western communities are extremely dependent upon the river basins in which they reside," Commissioner Connor said. "These basin studies are critical to assess the long-term supply and demand for water and to develop collaborative solutions that will sustain communities and support healthy rivers long into the future."

The San Diego Basin in California and West Salt River Valley Basin in Arizona were selected for Basin Studies. Basin Studies are comprehensive water studies that define options for meeting future water demands in river basins in the western United States where imbalances in water supply and demand exist or are projected to exist.

The Carson River Basin in California and Nevada, Willamette River Basin in Oregon and Arkansas River Basin in Colorado and Kansas were chosen for plans of study. A plan of study helps a cost-share partner—such as a local water district--define the outcomes and set the scope and focus for a potential future Basin Study. Reclamation and the cost-share partners in each case will develop the plans of study jointly.

The projects are:

Carson River Basin Plan of Study, Carson River Subsconservancy District
Non-Federal Funding: $75,000; Federal Funding: $75,000
The Carson River Basin encompasses approximately 3,965 square miles, spanning west-central Nevada and eastern California. The Carson River originates in the Sierra Nevada range and terminates at the Carson Sink in Nevada. The basin provides water for 57,000 acres of irrigated agriculture, 160,000 people and a strategic buffer zone for the Fallon Naval Air Station. It includes the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, habitat for two species of fish listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Carson River is over-appropriated and also has a highly variable hydrologic cycle that leads to frequent floods and droughts. The Carson River Subconservancy District, a bi-state consortium of city and county governments, will work with Reclamation to develop a comprehensive plan of study. The proposed Basin Study will assess water supply and demand imbalances and evaluate water management actions under a range of potential future uncertainties.

San Diego Watershed Basin Study, San Diego Public Utilities Department
Non-Federal Funding: $1,082,244 Federal Funding: $1,025,000
San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States and the second largest city in California. San Diego currently imports up to 90 percent of its water supplies from the Colorado River and northern California. The proposed study area is the San Diego Integrated Regional Water Management region, which includes the San Diego watershed. The San Diego watershed covers an area of 217 square miles and is home to 1.8 million people. The proposed Basin Study will provide a quantitative analysis of the uncertainties associated with the impacts of climate change on water supplies and demands and focus on adaptation strategies that optimize reservoir systems within the study area to advance indirect potable reuse.

Arkansas River Basin Plan of Study, Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District 3
Non-Federal Funding: $150,000 Federal Funding: $100,000
The Arkansas River provides irrigation for more than 270,000 acres in eastern Colorado and western Kansas. Poor water quality in the river near the border of Colorado and Kansas poses challenges for municipal and agricultural water users including reduced crop yields, high saline soil, surface water shortages and increased groundwater pumping from the Ogallala Aquifer. The proposed Arkansas River Basin Study Plan of Study will identify potential study partners and stakeholders to participate in a future Basin Study. It also will identify the basin study team and climate team and allow them to work with local entities to develop an interstate water plan that addresses current and future water quality and quantity issues to ensure that the local health and economy remain viable.

Willamette River Basin Study, Oregon Water Resources Department
Non-Federal Funding: $50,000 Federal Funding: $50,000
The Willamette River Basin supports approximately 75 percent of Oregon's population and is the fastest growing area in the state. More than 170 varieties of agricultural crops are grown and sold in the basin, which produces more than 40 percent of the state's gross farm sales. The basin is rich in native fish and provides critical habitat for several endangered species. Recreation opportunities are abundant, and the basin is one of the most visited destinations for recreational boaters in the state. The proposed Willamette River Basin Study will update a previous assessment of basin water demands completed in 2008 and expand it to include an assessment of future demands as a result of climate change. It will compile in-stream demands quantified through previous studies, aid the implementation of Oregon's Integrated Water Resources Strategy adopted in 2013 and help evaluate adaptation strategies for securing water in the future.

West Salt River Valley Basin Study, West Valley Central Arizona Project Subcontractors
Non-Federal Funding: $860,000 Federal Funding: $840,000
The West Salt River Valley Basin is located in Maricopa County, Ariz., and includes the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. It is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. The proposed study will include the development of a clear understanding of regional water supply and demand taking into account climate change and population growth projections. Additionally the study will include the development of strategies to address current and future imbalances in water supply and demand. The basin study will be a collaboration between Reclamation, the West Valley Central Arizona Project subcontractors, the Central Arizona Project (operated by the Central Arizona Water Conservancy District) and the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

The Department of the Interior established WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. The program focuses on improving water conservation and sustainability and helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. It identifies strategies to ensure that this and future generations will have sufficient supplies of clean water for drinking, economic activities, recreation and ecosystem health. The program also identifies adaptive measures to address climate change and its impact on future water demands.

Since its establishment in 2010, WaterSMART has provided more than $161 million in competitively-awarded funding to non-federal partners, including tribes, water districts, municipalities, and universities through WaterSMART Grants and the Title XVI Program. Through WaterSMART and other conservation programs funded over the last three years, a total of more than 616,000 acre-feet of water per year is estimated to have been saved.

The non-federal partners in a basin study must contribute at least 50 percent of the total study cost in non-federal funding or in-kind services. Basin studies are not financial assistance and Reclamation's share of the study costs may be used only to support work done by Reclamation or its contractors. Non-federal partners include state and city agencies, municipal water districts and flood control districts.

For specific information on the WaterSMART Basin Studies, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/bsp. For information on the WaterSMART Program, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/.

Interior Awards Grants in Eleven Western States to Improve Water Management, Supplies

WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor today announced 44 projects in 11 states that will receive $20.8 million in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants from Reclamation. The complete list of projects is available at http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/weeg.

"Throughout the West, we’re seeing that drought, growing populations and energy demands and basic environmental needs are stressing our finite water and energy supplies," Secretary Jewell said. "These WaterSMART grants will help stretch water supplies and improve water and energy efficiencies in communities throughout the West to support sustainable uses of our limited resources."

Reclamation estimates that together the 44 projects could save more than 100,000 acre-feet of water annually – enough for more than 400,000 people. Through reduced pumping and the addition of more efficient equipment, these projects are anticipated to save 10.8 million kilowatt-hours annually – enough energy to power nearly 1,000 households.

"Water is a precious resource, and using it more efficiently is important to ensure a sustainable supply for agricultural, municipal and industrial use, recreation and for the environment," Commissioner Connor said. "Through collaborative programs such as WaterSMART, the federal government works with state and local entities to update infrastructure and improve operations to help meet water and energy demands now and in the future."

Any entity receiving funding must provide at least a 50-percent match to the Reclamation funding. Entities that are eligible for funding include states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts or other organizations with water or power delivery authority in the 17 western states, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands.

Examples of funding recipients include:

The Tranquillity Irrigation District near Fresno, Calif., will receive $300,000 to connect two separate District distribution systems to increase efficiency. The project is expected to result in reduced seepage, evaporation, and storage losses and save approximately 630 acre-feet annually reduce energy consumption by about 216,000 kilowatt-hours each year by reducing pumping.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority in the Las Vegas, Nev. area will receive $300,000 to assist its expansion of its existing landscape rebate program which provides financial incentives for residential property owners to replace turf with water efficient landscaping. The project will save approximately 448 acre-feet per year. Water conserved will be left in the Colorado River for instream uses and will contribute to existing water banks in California, Arizona and southern Nevada.
The Commonwealth Utilities Corporation in the Northern Mariana Islands will receive $300,000 to install 1,000 new advanced water meters for agricultural and domestic customers. The grant also includes the installation of the first-phase of a supervisory control and data acquisition system to better manage water delivery and is expected to save 1,562 acre-feet of water annually.
The Hoopa Valley Tribe in Northern California will receive $1.041 million to install more than 20,000 linear feet of new plastic pipe to replace a delivery system which includes open ditches. The tribe will also install an infiltration gallery, a new pump and meters to monitor water use. This new pressurized system is expected to save approximately 148,399 kilowatt-hours of energy annually.

"The Hoopa Valley Tribe will not only be able to improve its water system, but will also be able to keep the saved water in Soctish and Captain John Creeks, which eventually flow into the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. Here it will benefit threatened coho salmon and green sturgeon and help restore the river," added Connor.

Applicants applied to one of two funding groups. The first funding group included 25 projects that could receive up to $300,000 and generally are smaller projects that may take up to two years to complete. The second funding group included ten projects, which could receive up to $1.5 million for larger, phased projects that will take up to three years to complete. This will provide an opportunity for larger, multiple-year projects to receive some funding in the first year without having to compete for funding in the second and third years. Nine projects selected in the second funding group in FY 2012 will receive additional funding this fiscal year to finish their projects. Proposals were ranked through a published set of criteria in which points were awarded for those projects that conserve water, incorporate renewable energy or address the water-energy nexus, address Endangered Species Act concerns, contribute to water supply sustainability, and/or incorporate water marketing.

Since its establishment in 2010, WaterSMART has provided more than $159 million in competitively-awarded funding to non-federal partners, including tribes, water districts, municipalities, and universities through WaterSMART Grants and the Title XVI Program. Through WaterSMART and other conservation programs funded over the last three years, a total of more than 616,000 acre-feet of water per year is estimated to have been saved.

To learn more about WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, please visit http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/weeg.

Interior Awards WaterSMART Funding in California and New Mexico to Stretch Water Supplies, Provide Flexibility to Water Managers

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor today announced that Reclamation has selected five Title XVI water reuse projects in California and New Mexico to receive $15.6 million in funding through the Department of the Interior's WaterSMART program.

"This funding can help communities in California and New Mexico stretch their water supplies using time-tested methodologies and piloting new concepts," said Secretary Jewell. "We all want to make sure that we're using water efficiently and sustainably, and the WaterSMART program establishes a cohesive framework to provide federal leadership and assistance to our local partners as we work together to tackle this challenge."

"Through this program, Reclamation is able to partner with local entities to provide needed water for municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational and environmental needs," Commissioner Connor said. "This is necessary for a secure water supply that improves the environment, supports jobs and ensures a clean water supply."

Five congressionally authorized Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse projects in California and New Mexico will receive cost-shared funding for planning, design and construction of their projects. The Title XVI program focuses on identifying and investigating opportunities to reclaim and reuse wastewaters and naturally impaired ground and surface water in the 17 western states and Hawaii.

The Albuquerque Metropolitan Area Water Reclamation and Reuse Project in New Mexico will use $1.89 million to design and construct an expanded treatment system at the Southside Water Reclamation Plant. The project expects to save 2,500 acre-feet of water annually in addition to the 3,000 acre-feet of reclaimed water produced by other components of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area Water Reclamation and Reuse Project.

The North Bay Water Reuse Program in northern California will receive $4 million to provide recycled water to agricultural, environmental, industrial and landscape uses throughout Marin, Sonoma and Napa Counties. It will include upgrades to the treatment processes and construction of storage, pipelines and pump station facilities to distribute recycled water. It will reduce the reliance on local and imported surface and groundwater supplies and reduce the amount of effluent released into San Pablo Bay and its tributaries.

Other projects receiving funding in California are Long Beach Area Water Reclamation Project ($1.7 million), San Jose Area Water Reclamation and Reuse Program ($4 million) and Watsonville Area Water Recycling Project ($4 million).

Interior established WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. Since its establishment in 2010, WaterSMART has provided more than $139 million in competitively-awarded funding to non-federal partners, including tribes, water districts, municipalities, and universities through WaterSMART Grants and the Title XVI Program.

The proposals were ranked through a published set of criteria in which points were awarded for projects that effectively stretch water supplies and contribute to water supply sustainability, address water quality concerns or benefit endangered species; incorporate the use of renewable energy or address energy efficiency; deliver water at a reasonable cost relative to other water supply options; and that meet other program goals.

For complete descriptions on the awarded projects or to learn more about WaterSMART Title XVI funding, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/title.

Bureau of Reclamation Releases Updated Climate Data for Water Managers

WASHINGTON, DC - The Bureau of Reclamation and collaborators developed new downscaled climate projections that allow water managers to incorporate the new Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 data from the World Climate Research Program into their water management planning. The data, representing 234 contemporary climate projections for the contiguous United States, was downscaled to a 12 kilometer resolution in order to be more useful to water managers.

"CMIP5 projections represent a new source of information about how a changing climate may impact water supplies in the United States," Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor said. "Reclamation and its partners are taking leading roles to develop an understanding on how this new information complements previous climate projections made available through CMIP3, and on how CMIP5 projections should be considered in water planning and management."

The World Climate Research Program develops global climate projections through its CMIP roughly every five to seven years. Results from CMIP3 were released in 2007 and later used in Reclamation research and assessments including the 2011 SECURE Water Act Report and WaterSMART Basin Studies completed in the Colorado, Yakima and St Mary River - Milk River Basins.

"CMIP5 includes more comprehensive global climate models, updated greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and a broader set of experiments to address a wider variety of science questions," Acting Science Adviser Levi Brekke said. "Through the West-Wide Climate Risk Assessment Implementation Team, Reclamation will consider best approaches for using CMIP5 projections in the future."

Reclamation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Santa Clara University, Climate Central, Climate Analytics Group, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the new downscaled data collaboratively supported by funding from a WaterSMART Climate Analysis Tools Grant and Reclamation's Science and Technology Program.

The new downscaled climate projections are available at: http://gdo-dcp.ucllnl.org/downscaled_cmip_projections/.

Cooperative Watershed Management Program Seeking Applicants to Establish or Expand Watershed Groups through WaterSMART

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Reclamation announced it is seeking applications for its Cooperative Watershed Management Program to assist with the establishment or expansion of watershed management groups. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program provides funding for watershed groups to encourage diverse stakeholders to form local groups to address their water management needs and is part of the WaterSMART initiative.

An entity is limited to $50,000 but may be awarded an additional $50,000 for another year if sufficient progress is demonstrated. No cost-share is required.

Applicants are eligible under two categories through this funding opportunity. The first category is for the establishment of a watershed group. Eligible applicants are states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the western United States or United States Territories. The second category is for the expansion of a watershed group. Eligible applicants must be a current watershed group or a participant in an existing watershed group that is legally incorporated within the state in which they operate and meets the definition of a watershed group as defined in the funding opportunity.

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program also supports the Blueways System at the Department of the Interior. The National Blueways System highlights and supports river and watershed strategies for sustainable watershed resources that are led by stakeholder communities and organizations.

In 2012, Reclamation selected eight entities to receive $333,500 in grants under the WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program.

The WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) effort was launched in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. The program establishes a framework to provide federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water and integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources.

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity R13AS80015. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, June 11, 2013.

Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative Seeking Applicants for Applied Science Funding Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Reclamation today made a funding opportunity available for applied science grants through the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative.

Proposed projects must be used by resource managers to address natural and cultural resource issues that have a connection to water resource management in a changing climate. The funding categories are based on critical management questions developed and prioritized by the Desert LCC Science Working Group in order to strategically target projects that directly inform conservation. Eligible projects include the development of applied science tools that will help resource managers evaluate the impacts of climate change, drought, invasive species and other landscape-scale stressors to natural and cultural resources, and identify management practices or approaches to address those impacts.

Funding for each project is limited to $150,000, and the requesting entity must provide at least a 50-percent cost-share. Entities eligible to receive funding include states, tribes, irrigation districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, organizations with water or power delivery authority and nonprofit organizations.

The Desert LCC encompasses portions of five states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, as well as a substantial portion of Northern Mexico. The area is topographically complex, including three different deserts (Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan), grasslands and valley bottoms, and the isolated mountain ranges in the southern portion of the LCC (Apache Highlands and the New Mexico-Texas Highlands, also known as the Sky Islands). There are several large river systems, including the lower Colorado, Gila, Rio Grande, San Pedro and Verde Rivers.

LCCs are partnerships of governmental (federal, state, tribal and local) and non-governmental entities. The primary goal of the LCCs is to bring together science and resource management to inform climate adaptation strategies to address climate change and other stressors within an ecological region, or "landscape."

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R13AS80009. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, June 11, 2013.

To learn more about this funding opportunity visit www.usbr.gov/dlcc.

Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative Seeking Applicants for Applied Science Funding Opportunity

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Bureau of Reclamation today made a funding opportunity available for applied science grants through the Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative.

Proposed projects are expected to meet the science needs identified by the Southern Rockies LCC steering committee and must be able to be used by resource managers to address natural and cultural resource issues that have a connection to water resource management in a changing climate.

The identified science needs for the Southern Rockies in 2013 are:

Science Need 1: Development of models to inform management decisions related to habitat protection/preservation for desired population numbers of riparian obligate and wetland species.
Science Need 2: Assessment of the vulnerability of species and habitats to reduction in habitat size.
Science Need 3: Assessment of species or population vulnerability through identification of migration and connectivity corridors, and identification of adaptation strategies that mitigate vulnerability.
Science Need 4: Identification of changes in source-water runoff, and resultant changes to surface/groundwater interaction, resulting from climate change and other stressors.
Science Need 5: Incorporation of climate change projections and ecological flow needs into hydrological models in order to develop water supply scenarios that would inform decisions about water allocation to meet human and ecological needs.
Science Need 6: Data cataloging and acquisition of spatial data to aid in identification of LCC focal resources and associated needs.
Science Need 7: Identify Tribal information needs related to conservation and management of natural and cultural resources.

Funding for each project is limited to $150,000 and requesting entity must provide at least a 50-percent cost-share. Entities eligible to receive funding include: states, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, organizations with water or power delivery authority and nonprofit organizations.

The Southern Rockies LCC encompasses large portions of four states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, as well as smaller parts of Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming. The area is geographically complex, including wide elevation and topographic variation; from 14,000 foot peaks to the Grand Canyon and cold desert basins. This topographically complex region includes the headwaters of the Colorado River and Rio Grande, the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains to the west, and the Southern Rocky Mountains to the east, separated by the rugged tableland of the Colorado Plateau.

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R13AS80010. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, June 11, 2013.

To learn more about this funding opportunity visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/LCC/. To learn more about the Southern Rockies LCC, please visit southernrockieslcc.org.

Reclamation's Fiscal Year Budget Request is more than $1 Billion

WASHINGTON - President Obama's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget request released today identifies a total of $1.050 billion for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, continuing the President's commitment to be prudent with taxpayer dollars while setting consistent spending priorities for Reclamation. The budget request for the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second-largest producer of hydroelectric power includes the proposed transition of the Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA) into the bureau's budget, instead of the departmental budget. On a comparable basis to include CUPCA funding, this amounts to a decrease of $26.8 million below the FY2012 enacted level and $33.4 million below the initial 2013 Continuing Resolution, P.L. 112-175.

"The Reclamation budget announced today reflects this administration's commitment to creating and sustaining jobs, while striving to meet water delivery requirements in the West," Commissioner Michael L. Connor said. "The FY 2014 budget reflects many difficult budget choices, with cost-cutting actions, in order to fund the highest priority requirements—promoting efficient water deliveries and power generation, while also actively implementing critical river restoration programs. We're proud also to have funding in this budget to support our goals of strengthening tribal nations by implementing water rights settlements."

The proposal for Reclamation's Water and Related Resources account of $791.1 million includes $373.3 million for resource management and development activities. This funding provides for planning, construction, water conservation activities, management of Reclamation lands, including recreation, and actions to address the impacts of Reclamation projects on fish and wildlife. The request also emphasizes reliable water delivery and power generation by requesting $417.8 million to fund operation, maintenance and rehabilitation activities at Reclamation facilities, including dam safety.

The budget emphasizes Reclamation's core mission to address the water needs of a growing population in an environmentally responsible and cost-efficient manner; and to assist states, tribes and local entities in solving water resource issues. It also emphasizes the operation and maintenance of Reclamation facilities in a safe, efficient, economic and reliable manner—ensuring systems and safety measures are in place to protect the public and Reclamation facilities.

Reclamation's funding request addresses administration, departmental and bureau priorities, including America's Great Outdoors Initiative through ecosystem restoration, renewable energy, water conservation and the WaterSMART Program, strengthening tribal nations and youth recruitment activities.

The budget request proposes to transition the CUPCA Program into the Bureau of Reclamation as part of broader administration efforts to implement good government solutions, ensure consistent treatment of federal water projects, consolidate activities when possible and reduce duplication and overlap. The FY 2014 CUPCA budget is $3.5 million.

Specifics of the budget request include:

America's Great Outdoors Initiative – Reclamation has a responsibility to focus on the protection and restoration of the aquatic and riparian environments affected by its operations. Highlights of Reclamation's AGO ecosystem restoration activities, many of which support Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery programs, include:

$152.5 million for the Central Valley Project (CVP). Within this total, $14 million and an additional $2 million in the CVP Restoration Fund is for the Trinity River Restoration program; and $38.2 million continues court ordered actions for drainage services in the West San Joaquin Division, San Luis Unit.
$27.8 million Lower Colorado River Operations Program, of which $18.2 million is for the Multi-Species Conservation Program to provide long-term ESA compliance for river operations.
$26 million for activities consistent with the settlement of Natural Resources Defense Council v. Rodgers as authorized by the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act to restore and maintain fish populations, and restore and avoid adverse water impacts.
$21.2 million for ESA recovery implementation programs, including $10.1 million to implement the Platte River Endangered Species Recovery Implementation Program and $8.5 million for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin Endangered Fish Recovery Programs.
$18 million for the Klamath Project, which supports studies and initiatives to improve water supplies to meet the competing demands of agricultural, tribal, wildlife refuge and environmental needs along with facilities operations and maintenance activities.
$37 million for the California Bay-Delta Restoration Fund activities aligned with the Interim Federal Action Plan issued Dec. 22, 2009— including $25.5 million to address the degraded Bay-Delta ecosystem; $9.9 million for smarter water supply and use and $1.7 million for a renewed federal-state partnership.
$53.3 million for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund to continue funding a variety of activities to restore fish and wildlife habitat and populations in the CVP service area of California.
$25.9 million for the Middle Rio Grande Project, of which $10.2 million is targeted to support environmental activities developed through the Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program.
$18 million for the Columbia and Snake River Salmon Recovery Project for implementation of the biological opinions for the Federal Columbia River Power System.

WaterSMART Program – The FY 2014 budget for Reclamation proposes $35.4 million for the WaterSMART Program – Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow — to assist communities in stretching water supplies and improving water management. The WaterSMART Program components include: WaterSMART Grants funded at $12 million; the Basin Studies Program funded at $4.7 million; the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program funded at $14 million; a new external water resources grants program — the Shared Investment Water Innovation Program — funded at $1 million; the Water Conservation Field Services Program, funded at $3.4 million; and the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, funded at $250,000.

Strengthening tribal nations – The total budget for Reclamation's implementation of Indian Water Rights Settlements in 2014 is $99.7 million in current funding. Of this amount, Reclamation is proposing establishment of an Indian Water Rights Settlements account of $78.7 million to ensure continuity in the construction of five of the authorized projects and to highlight and enhance transparency in use of these funds.

This includes $18.2 million to continue implementation of the four settlements authorized in the Claims Resolution Act of 2010. These settlements will deliver clean water to the Taos Pueblo of New Mexico, the Pueblos of New Mexico named in the Aamodt case, the Crow Tribe of Montana and the White Mountain Apache Tribe of Arizona. The budget also includes $60.5 million for the ongoing Navajo-Gallup Water Supply project (Title X of Public Law 111-11). Additionally, $60 million in new permanent authority is available in 2014 for the Indian water rights settlements.

The budget also requests $21 million in the Water and Related Resources Account for on-going settlement operation and maintenance functions including the Ak Chin Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, San Carlos Apache Tribe Water Settlement Act, Colorado Ute Settlement Act Animas-La Plata Project and Nez Perce/Snake River Water Rights Act which is part of the Columbia and Snake River Recovery Project.

Other project highlights include –

$40 million for rural water projects to undertake the design and construction of five projects and operation and maintenance of tribal features for two projects intended to deliver potable water supplies to specific rural communities and tribes located primarily in Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota.
A total of $15.4 million is provided for the Yakima River Basin. This includes $7.4 million to operate and maintain existing project facilities and $8 million for the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, which will continue funding grants to implement conservation measures and monitor the effects of those measures on the river diversions.
$88.1 million for the Dam Safety Program to continue dam safety risk management and risk reduction activities throughout Reclamation's inventory of dams. Corrective actions are planned to start or continue at a number of facilities. A major focus continues to be modifications at Folsom Dam (California).
$27.8 million for site security to continue Reclamation's ongoing site-security program that includes physical security upgrades at key facilities, guards and patrols, anti-terrorism program activities and security risk assessments.

The Bureau of Reclamation, throughout the 17 western states, is committed to helping meet the many water challenges of the West. A driving force behind bureau initiatives is resolution of water issues that will benefit future generations and providing leadership on the path to sustainable water supplies.

The Project SEARCH Experience

“I learned a lot from Project SEARCH, and it has prepared me for my future,” Gwynne Brawner, Project SEARCH student, said as she gazed into the computer screen with a huge smile on her face. Project SEARCH is a combined education and work experience program for students with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities who are in their last year of high school.

This Ohio-based organization focuses on giving students the opportunity to have hands-on experience in a work environment with the goal of obtaining full or part-time employment after graduation.

The Project SEARCH model involves an extensive period of training and career exploration, with long-term job coaching and continuous feedback from teachers, job coaches and employers. Students spend their entire school day at the workplace. The majority of the day is spent in a work experience setting for which they applied, were interviewed and selected.

“A key element to a successful internship is an understanding by the host supervisors of the role the job coaches play in supporting both the supervisors and the interns, as well as what modifications might need to be made for interns with intellectual disabilities,” Genevieve Chaffee, special education for Project SEARCH at the Department of the Interior, said. “Modifications, developed by the job coaches based on the needs of the task and the intern, may be as simple as a checklist or written versus verbal instructions,” she said.

Reclamation will serve as the host agency — providing a classroom, internships and internal co-ordination while the other partners provide a teacher, job coaches and support services for students through May 31.

Gwynne began interning in January with Reclamation’s Native American and International Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. “When she first started she didn’t have any experience, but she has come a long way. She is now scanning files, renaming them and e-mailing them to me, shredding documents and copying many items for our office,” Mary Mascarenhas, International Affairs specialist, explained.

Mascarenhas worked with Richard Ives, director of Native American and International Affairs, to find a part-time position for Gywnne. She was hired as a permanent provisional part-time employee July 7. Her duties are expanded, and she is working with additional offices in Reclamation. Across Reclamation, a number of students are getting work experience through Project SEARCH. Interns are working in the Reclamation Mailroom, Library and Client Support and Tech Presentations offices at the Denver Federal Center.

“I encourage any office to get involved. You could change a person’s life and find that it enriches you as well,” Mascarenhas added.

Keeping an Eye on the Job

Civil Engineer Jaime Huerta began working with the Bureau of Reclamation as a student. He became a lead project engineer after graduation.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure

Security Guard Dustin Busse describes his work at Grand Coulee Dam, one of the Nation's critical infrastructures. In order to keep this valuable resource safe, the Bureau of Reclamation employs a number of well-trained and well-tested security guards.

Supplying a Hydropower Workhorse

Grand Coulee Procurement Specialist Fred Jordan explains what it's like to buy necessary materials for the Nation's largest capacity hydropower project with unique equipment and needs.

Designing Solutions for an Engineering Marvel

Mechanical Engineer Don Jones works at Grand Coulee Dam, the largest capacity hydropower project in the United States, gaining experience on the whole spectrum of hydroelectric technology.