WASHINGTON, DC, May 27, 2008 -- Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced $1.8 million in grants to water districts for ten projects to improve delivery systems in California, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah. Including matching contributions of non-federal partners, the selected projects represent a combined investment of more than $3.77 million.
Granted under the Bureau of Reclamation's Water 2025 program, the "System Optimization Review Grants" will assist water districts and other water management entities by providing a broad look at their water delivery system operations. The grants will also enable water districts to develop a plan of action focused on improving efficiency and operations on a regional and/or basin perspective.
The Pixley Irrigation District in California, for example, will use this Water 2025 grant to examine opportunities to improve management of water resources through groundwater banking and "conjunctive use," which consists of combining surface and groundwater to minimize environmental effects and to optimize the water demand/supply balance.
In the future, all Water 2025 grant opportunities will be part of the Department of the Interior's Water for America, an initiative focused on addressing 21st century water challenges and security water resources for future generations.
The Bureau of Reclamation will focus its efforts on two of the three strategies of Water for America--"Plan for our Nation's Water Future" and "Expand, Protect, and Conserve our Nation's Water Resources."
The U.S. Geological Survey, another Interior agency, will work on the third strategy to "Enhance our Nation's Water Knowledge."
Through these three strategies, the Water for America Initiative will provide the vision and leadership necessary to ensure sustainable western water supplies for the 21st century.
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Also see:
-- List and descriptions of the grants
-- Information on Water 2025
-- Information on Water for America
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