Drought Response Program

The Bureau of Reclamation's Drought Response Program supports a proactive approach to drought by providing assistance to water managers to: develop and update comprehensive drought plans, and implement projects that will build long-term resiliency to drought.

Program areas include:

Documents

Contacts

For more information regarding the Drought Program, please contact the Program Coordinator, Sheri Looper at 303-445-2232 or slooper@usbr.gov. Or, you may contact the Drought contact in your region, as follows:

Interior Region 5: Missouri Basin & Interior Region 6: Arkansas-Rio Grande-Texas Gulf - Denis Kelsch, 406-247-7754, and Marlena Lanini, 406-247-7743
Interior Region 7: Upper Colorado Basin - Gary McRae, 801-524-3656
Interior Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin - Ken Isakson, 702-293-8537, and Lisa Rivera, 480-518-1692
Interior Region 9: Columbia-Pacific Northwest - Jessica Peters, 208-378-1462
Interior Region 10: California-Great Basin - Anna Sutton, 916-978-5214

Join the WaterSMART Mailing List

You may complete this form to receive WaterSMART program notification from the Bureau of Reclamation.

Announcements

FY24 Planning and Project Design Grants, and FY24 Drought Resiliency Projects Webinar

The Bureau of Reclamation hosted an informational webinar on Thursday, August 24th, ato discuss eligible applicants and project types, program requirements, and the evaluation criteria for both the Planning and Project Design Grants funding opportunity and the Drought Resliency Prjects funding opportunity.
Click here to watch a recording of the live event.
Download Slideshow

Biden-Harris Administration Makes Nearly $200 Million Available for Drought and Climate Resiliency Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

The Department of the Interior today announced up to $195 million in funding opportunities available through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to develop a more resilient water supply, support cooperative watershed management and safeguard aquatic ecosystems. The funds come primarily from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s WaterSMART program, as well as from the Inflation Reduction Act and annual appropriations. Read More →

Biden-Harris Administration Invests More Than $84 million in 36 Drought Resiliency Projects

The Department of the Interior today announced a $84.7 million investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help 36 communities throughout the West prepare and respond to the challenges of drought. The selected projects will help bring clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through investments in innovative drought resilience efforts, such as groundwater storage, rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge, water reuse, ion exchange treatment, and other methods to stretch existing water supplies. Read More →

Project Descriptions
Reclamation approves $865,480 to five western states for drought contingency planning grants to improve long-term drought resiliency

As the western United States faces unprecedented severe drought conditions, the Bureau of Reclamation is announcing the award of six drought planning activities for 2022 WaterSMART: Drought Contingency Planning grants. This program provides federal cost-share funds for entities to develop and update comprehensive drought plans, employing a proactive approach to build long-term resiliency to drought. Read More →

Project Descriptions

The FY24 Drought Resiliency Projects Grants funding opportunity was posted August 7, 2023. Applications are due October 31, 2023.

The FY23 Drought Contingency Planning Grants, now available through the new Planning and Project Design Grants funding opportunity, was posted August 7, 2023. Applications are due October 17, 2023.

QUESTIONS?

Have a question regarding the funding opportunity or project eligibility questions? Request a meeting through our bookings site.

Calendar

August 2022

FY22 Drought Contingency Planning Grants funding opportunity recipients announced.

December 2022

FY23 Drought Resiliency Projects funding opportunity recipients announced.

August 2023

FY24 Drought Resiliency Grants funding opportunity posted. FY23 Drought Contingency Planning Grants posted under the new Planning and Design funding opportunity.