Bureau of Reclamation Funds Water Infrastructure Projects in the West

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced $44.3 million in funding for water infrastructure projects in the West. The funding will support a variety of efforts—providing financial assistance and construction support for rural water projects, addressing infrastructure to maintain system reliability and safety, restoring aquatic habitat, continuing Reclamation's focus on water-related activities to support tribal nations, meeting the increasing water demands of the western United States, and supporting activities that increase water resiliency in the face of drought consistent with President Obama's Climate Action Plan.

A total of $27.1 million will be provided to advance five infrastructure projects in rural communities that will deliver clean, reliable drinking water to remote areas.

The five rural water projects, selected by Reclamation as directed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, include:

• $9.3 million for the Garrison Diversion Unit (Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program) in North Dakota.
• $6 million for the Rocky Boy's/North Central Montana Rural Water System (Montana)
• $5.2 million for the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System (South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota)
• $4.9 million for the Fort Peck Reservation/Dry Prairie Rural Water System (Montana)
• $1.7 million for the Eastern New Mexico Water Supply Project (New Mexico)

These additional funds combined with funding enacted in FY 2014 will bring total construction funding to more than $2.3 million and will be used to continue work on the Phase I Intake Structure at Ute Reservoir that will supply water to eight municipalities and three counties in eastern New Mexico.

Additional project categories to be funded across the West include:

• $4 million for fish passage and fish screens
• $8 million for water conservation and delivery studies
• $1 million for environmental restoration and compliance efforts with an emphasis on species recovery and protection.
• $4.2 million for facility operation, maintenance and rehabilitation

To allocate fiscal year 2014 funding for rural water projects, Reclamation considered the financial resources already committed, a perspective on regional watersheds, and compelling need—such as water supply and water quality, tribal members served, economic impacts and water use and energy efficiency.

Source: Bureau of Reclamation