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Feds grant funds to ease California water shortages

Posted by: Maven on July 31, 2009 at 8:06 am

From the Sacramento Bee:

“Federal agencies pledged Thursday to send nearly $60 million in grants to help California communities, farms and dairies suffering from ongoing water shortages.

The money includes $40 million from President Obama’s stimulus package aimed at drought-relief projects, the bulk of which will go to the San Joaquin Valley, where three years of dry weather and irrigation cutbacks have crippled production and caused severe unemployment.

Most of the Department of Interior’s stimulus funds are intended to help growers dig new wells and install temporary pipelines and pumps to move water to farms that need it most, Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes said.

“The farming communities in the San Joaquin are central to our bread basket, to our prosperity and to our agricultural strength as a nation,” he said. …”

More from the Sacramento Bee by clicking here.

Most of the money is headed to the drought-stricken San Joaquin Valley, reports the Central Valley Business Times:

“The Central Valley is getting more than $45 million this year from two pots of taxpayer dollars to improve water supplies, water use and water conservation. Some comes as stimulus funds. Other money comes as grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) that must have some level of local contribution that varies with the project. In addition, the AWEP grants have to be reported as income by the recipients.

Here’s how it breaks down: In all, 63 water projects in 21 states were approved by the USDA for $58 million in AWEP grants. Of those, 15 are in California, representing about $30 million, mostly in the Central Valley. The Valley’s drought conditions were a major factor in flowing the money to the region, says Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Dave White. …”

The Central Valley Business Times drills it down to the extensive list of specific projects being funded. Check it out from the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.

Although perhaps not the type of federal aid they were looking for, the news was welcomed by Westlands farmers & officials, reports the Fresno Bee:

“The Westlands Water District, where farmers have struggled because of a water shortage, is receiving a $9.5 million boost from the federal government to help it increase water efficiency and stretch its supply.

Some of the money is for new wells, and the rest is to help farmers install improved irrigation systems. Farmers would have to match some of the federal funds with their own money to qualify.

Westlands officials welcomed the money, even if it wasn’t the federal help they’ve been seeking. … “

More from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.

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July 31, 2009 · Filed Under Drought, Weather & Snowpack

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