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The Bureau of Reclamation has played a big role in delivering water and generating power in the West in the last 115 years. On June 17, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Reclamation Act creating the United States Reclamation Service. Since then, Reclamation has built more than 600 dams, canals and reservoirs including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and Grand Coulee on the Columbia River. These water projects led to homesteading and promoted the economic development of the West.
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April 6, 2018
Through WaterSMART, Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure. Each year under the program, Reclamation releases funding opportunities inviting eligible entities to propose new projects.
Three of those funding opportunities opened in March and are now available:
- Water and Energy Efficiency Grants: Projects funded under this opportunity include canal piping and lining, canal automation, installation of irrigation flow measurement devices, municipal metering, and other similar water management improvements. Entities can request up to $1 million in cost-shared Federal funding under this opportunity. Applications are due May 10.
- Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects: Entities can receive funding for smaller water management improvements under this funding opportunity, which provides up to $75,000 in Federal funding for improvements prioritized in local planning efforts. Projects funded include small-scale canal lining and piping projects, irrigation flow measures, and municipal metering, with total project costs typically around $150,000. Applications are due July 31.
- Water Marketing Strategy Grants: Through Water Marketing Strategy Grants, Reclamation supports stakeholder-led efforts to develop water markets as a tool to address water supply issues. Applications are due July 18.
Reclamation also recently made revised program criteria available for public review and comment for the WaterSMART Title XVI Program, which is focused on water recycling and reuse. Comments are due on April 12. Once comments have been addressed, Reclamation will post a funding opportunity inviting sponsors of water reuse projects to submit proposals for funding.
2018 WaterSMART funding opportunities for the Drought Response Program and the Cooperative Watershed Management Program recently closed and project selections are underway. Through the Drought Response Program, Reclamation provides funding for infrastructure improvements that increase water flexibility during drought and planning efforts that provide a framework to build long-term resilience to drought. Reclamation also provides funds to local watershed groups through the Cooperative Watershed Management Program for watershed planning and implementation of collaboratively developed projects.
To learn more about WaterSMART, including detailed information about application deadlines about how to apply, see www.usbr.gov/watersmart/.
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Recent News
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The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to increase flows through the city of Boise. Currently, Boise River flows through town are 3,600 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) and will increase by 500 cfs on Friday, April 6, and an additional 500 cfs on Monday, April 9, 2018. By Monday, flows through town will be approximately 4,600 cfs but may fluctuate slightly due to changing irrigation withdrawals or local precipitation. Learn More →
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The Bureau of Reclamation invites the public to a presentation to explain plans for water operations in 2018. Snowpack is far below average in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico and it is likely the spring runoff has already peaked. The presentation will cover the process for determining the plan for water operations. It will include a review of the 2017 water predictions, as compared to actual storage and releases. Presenters will then explain the 2018 water forecast, potential for storage and release. Learn More →
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Eight ideas were selected from the Stage 1 portion of the More Water, Less Concentrate prize competition. The competition sought innovative concepts to expand usable water supplies by maximizing fresh water production from inland desalination systems in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner. The solvers will share $150,000. Learn More →
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Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Region (LCR) announced on March 23, 2018, that it is requesting proposals to fund cost-share activities in support of its Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) within the LCR. The LCR grants process is open to enrollment and competition from water related organizations in southern Nevada, most of Arizona, southern California, and southwestern Utah. Please see the map in the funding opportunity announcement for exact boundaries of the LCR. Learn More →
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On March 27, senior engineering students from Colorado State University participated in the 15th annual Prestressed Concrete Institute’s Big Beam Load Test Competition. CSU is participating for the third time. The PCI Big Beam Competition provides students with an opportunity to design, fabricate and test a precast/prestressed concrete beam with the help of a local precast concrete producer. Learn More →
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The Bureau of Reclamation announces summer hours and programs for the 2018 recreation season at Lake Berryessa. Learn More →
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Yakima Basin Integrated Plan
The collaboration, cooperation, and synergy of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan has led to numerous improvements in habitat enhancement at agricultural conservation in the Yakima Basin. These two elements of the plan work hand in hand to increase the overall health of the basin.
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