Pete HahnloserThe U.S. Department of the Interior has announced $849 million for revitalizing aging water-delivery systems throughout the western United States, supporting projects across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Washington.
These projects will focus on better water distribution and storage, improving safety measures, boosting hydropower generation and providing water treatment solutions. 14 projects in the Colorado River Basin alone have been allocated a total of $118.3 million.
The new funding builds on the release in November of five alternatives that will be evaluated as part of the Post-2026 Operations for the Colorado River Basin. Since 2021, the department has led critical discussions aimed at addressing the Colorado River crisis, which has been exacerbated by a 24-year drought, unprecedented since the first monitoring equipment was installed.
In 2023, the department reached a historic consensus agreement on interim operation plans to guide river management through 2026. Following more than a year of collaboration with the states and tribes of the Colorado River Basin, the release of these alternatives marks the next step in shaping a responsible approach for managing post-2026 operations.
“Reclamation is committed to utilizing these historic investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to revitalize our infrastructure for continued reliability and sustainability for the next generation,” Bureau of Reclamation Deputy Commissioner Roque Sanchez said. “These facilities are essential to the West, as they provide water for families, farms and tribal communities, while also and producing hydropower and recreation opportunities for communities throughout the basin.”
The projects chosen for funding span all the major river basins and regions where Reclamation operates. Among the selected initiatives are efforts to restore canal capacity, maintain water treatment services for tribes, upgrade equipment for hydropower generation and perform essential maintenance on aging project infrastructure.
Over the past two decades, climate change has intensified, leading to the Colorado River Basin enduring its driest period in more than 1,000 years. In response, the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represent the largest investment in climate resilience in U.S. history, allocating $15.4 billion to bolster water resources across the West.
These funds aim to strengthen drought resilience and provide support to safeguard the Colorado River System, which is vital to the lives and livelihoods of millions. Of this funding, $5.35 billion has been dedicated to more than 577 projects within the Colorado River Basin states.
Photo by B.Bailey
