Reclamation Announces Recipients of $1.8M In CALFED Water Use Efficiency Grants

The Bureau of Reclamation announces selection of four California projects to receive $1.8M total for fiscal year 2022 under the Bay-Delta Restoration Program, CALFED Water Use Efficiency grants. Combined with local cost-share contributions, these projects are expected to implement about $16.1M in water management improvements during the next two years.

The projects will conserve an estimated 3,859 acre-feet of water per year and better manage 18,000 acre-feet, contributing to the CALFED Bay-Delta Program objectives of improving ecosystem health, water supply reliability and water quality. California and federal agencies are partners in the 30-year program (2000-2030).

This investment in water use efficiency is part of Reclamation’s continuing strategy to respond to drought. Reclamation is working with states, tribes, agriculture, power customers, municipalities, conservation organizations, and other stakeholder communities on projects and activities across the West to address drought conditions and impacts.

Reclamation made the selection of the following four projects through a competitive process, prioritizing projects addressing CALFED goals on a statewide basis.

Cawelo Water District, $500,000
The Friant-Kern Canal Pump Station, Turnout/In and Appurtenances Project will increase water conveyance capacity by constructing a pump station and a 1.8-mile, 48-inch pipeline intertie. The intertie will convey wet-period water, when available in the Friant-Kern Canal, to groundwater recharge basins or for irrigation purposes in-lieu of pumping groundwater. The Kern County project will save 2,160 acre-feet of water per year over the 50-year life of the project, of which 657 acre-feet a year is attributed to the Bay Delta. The total project cost is $6,230,000 and the federal cost share is $500,000.

Contra Costa Water District, $300,000
The Lawn to Garden Rebate Program will incentivize the conversion of 660,000 square feet of turf to water friendly landscape among residential and commercial properties within the Contra Costa Water District. The project will save 60 acre-feet of water per year over the 15-year life of the project, all of which is attributed to the Bay Delta. The total project cost is $602,000 and the federal cost share is $300,000.

Meridian Farms Water Company, $499,700
The Main Canal Automation Project will better manage water elevation within the canal and eliminate operational water spills at the canal bottom by replacing six existing manual check structures with efficient long-crested weirs with automated dual-leaf vein gates. This project in Sutter County will better manage 18,000 acre-feet of water per year over the 40-year life of the project, all of which is attributed to the Bay Delta. The total project cost is $5,901,100 and the federal cost share is $499,700.

Semitropic Water Storage District, $500,000
The Pipeline Conveyance Improvements for Recharge Enhancements project will consist of installing a 1.8-mile pipeline to increase conveyance of State Water Project wet-period water where bottlenecks in supply exist. The new pipe is 30% larger than existing and will result in increased conveyance to support recharge activities and meet on-farm irrigation demand. The project in Kern County will save 1,639 acre-feet of water per year over the 50-year life of the project, of which 375 acre-feet of water per year is attributed to the Bay Delta. The total project cost is $3,400,153 and the federal cost share is $500,000.

The fiscal year 2023 and 2024 CALFED funding notice is expected to be posted on www.grants.gov in July 2022.