Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
The Department of the Interior announced an $81 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for water conservation and drought resilience south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California's San Joaquin Valley. The announcement was made by Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Sarah Krakoff, and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton at the Stewart Lee Udall building.
The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes $500 million for conservation efforts and ecosystem restoration for basins outside the Colorado River Basin experiencing long-term drought. The Biden-Harris administration has previously invested $428 million in the San Joaquin Valley through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Central Valley Project, serving central California's communities and economies, is a 400-mile network of dams, reservoirs, canals, hydroelectric power plants, and other facilities that supply water to about 2.5 million people annually across 29 counties.
"Water resources in the San Joaquin Valley support food production and agricultural output across California," said Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. "These resources from President Biden's Investing in America agenda will help build resilient communities and protect our water supplies."
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Bureau of Reclamation and Central Valley Project South-of-Delta contractors to outline a new long-term drought plan for the region. This includes a 2024 Pilot Program with a “drought pool” aimed at enhancing drought resiliency.
“Access to clean and reliable water is essential,” said Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Sarah Krakoff. “This new drought plan will help provide critical water supplies to refuges and cities.”
Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton emphasized commitment to building resilient communities against drought impacts: “This funding demonstrates the Biden-Harris administration’s investments South of Delta to implement projects that will safeguard our water supplies.”
Central Valley Project deliveries south of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta depend on various factors including seasonal shifts in water availability and worsening droughts. The new plan ensures shared wet year supplies during dry years to support critical needs like refuges, cities, permanent crops, and salmon habitats.
To implement this plan effectively, several critical infrastructure projects have been identified by contractors in collaboration with Reclamation. The $81 million investment will fund these projects along with establishing additional aquifer storage facilities.
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