DENVER — The Bureau of Reclamation announced it is investing $7 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in communities to assist them in cooperatively managing their local watersheds. Funding will support 27 projects in developing a watershed group, planning watershed restoration or designing a watershed management project.
“Supporting local communities in managing their water resources will support long-term solutions to combat the impacts of climate change,” said Deputy Commissioner Roque Sánchez. “Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we have been able to provide the resources for locally driven partnerships.”
WaterSMART’s Cooperative Watershed Management Program encourages diverse stakeholders to cooperate to develop sustainable local solutions to address ecosystem and water management needs.
The projects selected through today’s announcement include:
- The Napa County Resource Conservation District in California, in collaboration with the nonprofit Abuelitos Foundation, will receive $300,000 to establish a new watershed group for California’s Napa River Watershed. Unsustainable levels of groundwater extraction, sedimentation, and climate change have exacerbated issues of water quantity and quality. This new group will bring together a diverse set of stakeholders including agricultural users, residents, environmental organizations, and governmental water managers to improve sustainable water management practices in the Napa Valley.
- The Kenai Watershed Forum, located in southcentral Alaska, will receive $161,058 to work with stakeholders to develop cooperative management strategies to maintain the Kenai River’s water quality. The Kenai River is a stronghold for wild Pacific salmon, but development, climate change, and intensive recreational use threaten water quality and freshwater habitat.
A full list of the selected projects is available on Reclamation’s WaterSMART website.
A watershed group is a grassroots non-regulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed. They must be capable of promoting the sustainable use of water resources in the watershed and make decisions on a consensus basis.
