The Department of the Interior announced additional funding to help support water infrastructure in California. A total of $242 million is being allocated to improve water storage and conveyance in the West. This funding will support five projects in California, Colorado, and Washington, adding at least 1.6 million acre-feet of water storage capacity. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is investing a total of $8.3 billion over five years through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help support a variety of water infrastructure projects.
“As drought conditions continue to grip the West, the need for these projects is increasingly evident,” Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a press release. “These investments will advance projects that bring reliable drinking and agricultural water to residents in need, provide ecosystem benefits, and increase overall water storage.”
Funded projects include $75 million for the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion in California, adding 130,000 acre-feet of storage, and $67.5 million for the Sites Reservoir Project, creating up to 1.5 million acre-feet of new storage on the Sacramento River system. Since November 2021, more than $3.5 billion has been announced for over 530 projects under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West