Additional Fiscal Year 2016 Funding of $166.3 Million Available

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  • by BPC Staff
  • on February 9, 2016
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Commissioner’s Office
Washington, DC

Media Contact: Dan DuBray, 202-513-0574, ddubray@usbr.gov

For Immediate Release:  Feb. 8, 2016

Additional Fiscal Year 2016 Funding of $166.3 Million Available
Includes $100 Million Available for Western Drought Response and $47 Million for Rural Water Projects

WASHINGTON – Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan López today released the spending plan for $166.3 million provided to Reclamation in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016. The funds will go toward western drought response and rural water projects, among other important activities.

“Reclamation and its partners have created a spending plan that will help ensure sustainable water supplies across the Western United States,” López said. “The funding will go toward conservation and improving long-term infrastructure and environmental work on key water projects.”

The funding is divided among six areas:

  • Western drought response ($100 million),
  • Rural water projects ($47 million),
  • Water conservation and delivery ($10 million),
  • Fish passage and fish screens ($5 million),
  • Facility operation, maintenance and rehabilitation ($2.3 million),
  • Environmental restoration or compliance ($2 million).

Extreme and prolonged drought has gripped major river basins across the West. The $100 million provided for western drought response will address a number of projects affected by drought:

  • Central Valley Project, which includes funding for the American River Division, Delta Division, Friant Division, Shasta Division and other programs, California ($37.9 million);
  • WaterSMART Grants, Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program, Drought Response and Comprehensive Drought Planning, and Cooperative Watershed Management Program ($22.6 million);
  • Lower Colorado River Basin Drought Response Action Plan, California, Arizona and Nevada ($11.5 million);
  • Native American Technical Assistance Program ($6 million);
  • Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project, Washington ($9 million);
  • Lewiston Orchards Project, Idaho ($1 million);
  • Research and Development Program ($2 million);
  • Rogue River Basin Project, Oregon ($2 million);
  • Salton Sea Research Project, California ($3 million);
  • Colorado River Basin System Conservation Pilot Program in the upper and lower basins, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming ($5 million).

Reclamation based its western drought funding on a thorough review at national, regional, and program levels, to ensure a balanced approach. In some cases the funding allows Reclamation to accelerate selected projects to meet high-priority needs sooner than it would in the absence of the additional funding. In other cases it allows Reclamation to respond immediately to many of the West’s most critical drought-related needs.

Reclamation is also advancing the completion of its authorized rural water projects with the goal of delivering potable water to tribal and non-tribal residents within the rural water project areas. A total of $47 million is allocated among five projects using prioritization criteria:

  • Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program – Garrison Diversion Unit, North Dakota ($17.4 million);
  • Fort Peck Reservation/Dry Prairie Rural Water System, Montana ($12.3 million);
  • Rocky Boy’s/North Central Montana Rural Water System, Montana ($8.5 million);
  • Lewis and Clark Rural Water System, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota ($6.8 million);
  • Eastern New Mexico Water Supply, New Mexico ($2 million).

The remaining $19.3 million will go toward thirteen projects in four categories identified in the Act:

  • Fish screen and restoration projects in the Central Valley Project, California ($0.9 million), and Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project at Cle Elum Dam, Washington ($4.1 million);
  • Arkansas Valley Conduit, Fryingpan Arkansas Project, Colorado ($2 million);
  • Klamath Project, Oregon and California ($2 million);
  • Water modelling on the Rio Grande Project, New Mexico and Texas ($1 million);
  • Completion of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Glen Canyon Unit of the Colorado River Storage project, Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah ($2 million);
  • Water Conservation Grants collaboration between Reclamation and Natural Resources Conservation Service, California ($5 million)
  • Repairs on the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project, Arizona ($1.1 million);
  • Repairs and renovations on five other projects in Idaho, California, Oregon and Washington ($1.2 million).

Visit http://www.usbr.gov/budget/ to view a summary of all the projects in this spending plan.

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Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier in the United States, and the nation’s second largest producer of hydroelectric power.  Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits.  Visit our website at http://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR.

 

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