Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior announced a $242 million investment as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, aimed at providing clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through five water storage and conveyance projects. These projects in California, Colorado, and Washington are expected to add at least 1.6 million acre-feet of additional water storage capacity, sufficient to support 6.4 million people for a year. Additionally, funding will be allocated for a feasibility study in Arizona designed to enhance future water storage capacity.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resiliency in U.S. history and provides resources to improve Western communities' resilience to drought and climate change. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Reclamation is investing $8.3 billion over five years into various water infrastructure projects including rural water systems, conservation efforts, dam safety initiatives, and desalination.
“In the wake of severe drought across the West, the Interior Department is putting funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to work to provide clean, reliable drinking water to families, farmers and Tribes throughout the West,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “Through the investments we’re announcing today, we will expedite essential water storage projects and provide increased water security to Western communities.”
“As drought conditions continue to grip the West, the need for these projects is increasingly evident,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “These investments will advance projects that bring reliable drinking and agricultural water to residents in need, provide ecosystem benefits, and increase overall water storage.”
The funded projects include:
**Arizona**
- Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Project: $8.5 million for a feasibility study addressing sediment accumulation at Horseshoe Reservoir and exploring operational flexibilities with increased storage capacity.
**California**
- B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project: $75 million for enhancing off-stream storage capability alongside ongoing dam safety modifications.
- Sites Reservoir Project: $67.5 million for developing up to 1.5 million acre-feet of new water storage on the Sacramento River system.
**Colorado**
- Arkansas Valley Conduit: $90 million for continuing construction of a long-term safe water supply project benefiting approximately 50,000 people across 39 rural communities along the Arkansas River.
**Washington**
- Cle Elum Pool Raise Project: $1 million for increasing reservoir capacity by an additional 14,600 acre-feet managed for instream flows benefiting fish populations.
This announcement builds on previous allocations including $152 million last year and $210 million announced in 2022 for similar projects since signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in November 2021. To date, Reclamation has committed more than $3.5 billion towards over 530 projects under this law.
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