Nevada, Western states get $700 million boost from US for water conservation
A $700 million investment from the federal government will fund water conservation projects across Nevada, California and Arizona to protect the Colorado River’s water supply from ongoing drought. The US federal government has allocated $700 million to fund water conservation projects across Nevada, California and Arizona to protect the Colorado River’s water supply from ongoing drought. The funds will include construction of water distribution structures and metering infrastructure, more efficient water infrastructure for farms, improvements like canal lining and turf removal. Projects such as groundwater banking, desalination, water recycling and water purification can also receive funding. The funding is part of the President's Investing in America agenda, which aims to strengthen the stability and sustainability of this water supply and support the 40 million people who rely on it. The Lower Colorado River Basin states, California, Nevada and Arizona, previously received some funding through the Lower California River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program.
Опубликовано : 11 месяцев назад от в Environment
A $700 million investment from the federal government will fund water conservation projects across Nevada, California and Arizona to protect the Colorado River’s water supply from ongoing drought.
According to a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation press release, the $700 million will fund construction of water distribution structures and metering infrastructure, more efficient water infrastructure for farms and improvements like canal lining and turf removal. Projects focused on saving or sourcing water through groundwater banking, desalination, water recycling and water purification can also receive funding.
“Building on our significant efforts to protect the Colorado River System, we are continuing to make smart investments through the President’s Investing in America agenda to strengthen the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System and support the 40 million people who rely on this basin now and into the future,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said.
23 years of continual drought in the western U.S. has worsened conditions along the river, leading to record low water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Along with the more than 40 million people who rely on the river for drinking water, it supports agriculture and hydropower operations throughout seven states; Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada.
The Lower Colorado River Basin states, California, Nevada and Arizona, received some funding for conservation projects through the Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program, which was announced in 2022 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The program set aside $4 billion for conservation projects throughout the Colorado River basin.
Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said that program will save more than 1.7 million-acre feet of water through 2026, and the $700 million will bolster that effort by funding lower basin state projects that didn’t receive funding in the first round.
“These Bucket 2 projects will build long-term resiliency in the basin by investing in system efficiency projects across all sectors,” Touton said.
Темы: Environment-ESG