Challenge Grant Program
Through the Challenge Grant Program, Reclamation provides 50/50 cost share funding to irrigation and water districts and states for projects focused on water conservation, efficiency, and water marketing. Projects are selected through a competitive process, based on their ability to meet the goals identified in Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict in the West. The focus is on projects that can be completed within 24 months that will help to prevent crises over water.
Reclamation awarded $9.2 million dollars in September 2007 to fund Challenge Grant proposals submitted in 2006 which met minimum program qualifications but were unable to be funded in FY 2006.
Since 2004, 122 Challenge Grant projects have been funded. $25.5 million in Federal funding combined with local partnerships into almost $96 million worth of water management improvements in 16 western states. Those 122 projects will create new water banks, promote the use of advanced technology to improve water management, and increase collaboration among Federal, State, tribal, and local entities.
Ten projects from the 2004 awards and six from the 2005 awards have been completed. For those projects that reported water savings, the total water savings in annual acre-ft is 75,640. These projects were successful in saving water, reducing conflict, and building partnerships.
Click links below for:
Summary of the Selection Criteria for Challenge Grants
List of All Projects Funded to Date
Map of the Locations of All Projects Funded to Date (PDF - 1.3 MB)
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Challenge Grant Program
Water 2025 Grant: Infrastructure Modernization, W.C. Austin Project - A Water 2025 Challenge grant was provided to the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District in Oklahoma to continue modernizing its irrigation delivery system by expanding remote monitoring and automation sites, improving flow measurement, and replacing and rehabilitating their farm turnouts.
The W.C. Austin Project provides water supply for more than 1/2 of the state’s cotton crop. In a typical year, more than 100,000 bales of cotton worth $35 million dollars are produced, generating a total economic impact of $220 million to Jackson County alone.
Last Updated:
4/29/08