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


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.

News Releases

August 7, 2023
Biden-Harris Administration Makes Nearly $200 Million Available for Drought and Climate Resiliency Projects as Part of Investing in America Agenda

December 22, 2022
Biden-Harris Administration Invests More Than $84 million in 36 Drought Resiliency Projects

August 2, 2022
Reclamation approves $865,480 to five western states for drought contingency planning grants to improve long-term drought resiliency

March 24, 2022
Reclamation announces funding opportunity for drought resiliency

March 17, 2022
Reclamation approves an additional $17.5 million for drought resiliency projects

January 28, 2022
Reclamation approves $20.5 million to build drought resiliency in five states

August 5, 2021
Reclamation invests in grants to increase water sustainability in the West

Last Updated: 8/28/23