WaterSMART News Releases

Reclamation Selects Eight Entities to Receive $333,500

WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced today the selection of eight entities to receive $333,500 in grants under the WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program. These grants will aid in the establishment and expansion of local watershed management groups.

"Developing and supporting local watershed management groups ensures local communities are involved in decisions and is vital to create healthy watersheds," said Commissioner Connor. "This funding will enable local communities to partner with Reclamation to conserve water in the West and will help Reclamation advance the goals of WaterSMART and the National Blueways System."

The eight entities recommended for funding are:

Armand Bayou Nature Center in Texas ($22,000)
Colorado Watershed Assembly in Colorado ($42,000)
Crooked River Watershed Council in Oregon ($39,500)
Deschutes River Conservancy in Oregon ($50,000)
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy in California ($50,000)
Spanish Peaks/Purgatoire River Conservation District in Colorado ($50,000)
Sun River Watershed in Montana ($30,000)
Upper Verde River Watershed Protection Coalition in Arizona ($50,000)

One of the selected entities is the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy in California, a 25-year-old nonprofit organization. It proposes a two year project to expand the watershed group, assess watershed issues and develop a management plan to promote sustainable use. Its proposal includes increasing outreach efforts and the expansion of its website and videos, to be available in English and Spanish.

A complete description of all projects is available at: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/cwmp/.

Each award is limited to $50,000, although a second year of funding, up to $50,000, may be awarded to successful applicants if sufficient progress is demonstrated and funding is available. No cost-share was required.

The purpose of the Cooperative Watershed Management Program is to improve water quality and ecological resilience and to reduce conflicts over water through collaborative conservation efforts in the management of local watersheds. Its primary goal is to address two major concerns synonymous with watershed groups—1) the need for funding to pay the salary of a full-time coordinator and 2) the limited funding available for project management. The Cooperative Watershed Management Program provides financial incentives to mitigate these concerns and to encourage diverse stakeholders to continue to work together.

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program also supports Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar's National Blueways System. The National Blueways System highlights and supports river and watershed strategies for sustainable watershed resources that are led by stakeholder communities and organizations.

WaterSMART is a program of the U.S. Department of the Interior that focuses on improving water conservation and sustainability and helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. It identifies strategies to ensure this and future generations will have sufficient supplies of clean water for drinking, economic activities, recreation and ecosystem health. The program also identifies adaptive measures to address climate change and its impact on future water demands. The SMART in WaterSMART stands for "Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow."

For more information on the WaterSMART program, visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/.

Research Projects to Boost Science Receive $1.7 Million in WaterSMART Funding for Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced today 12 applied science projects will receive $1.2 million, and Reclamation will partner with other federal agencies and contribute $451,835 to applied science projects to benefit the Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. This funding will be matched to provide more than $3.5 million for these applied science projects.

"Landscape Conservation Cooperatives bring science and technical expertise together and develop applied science tools for land managers to assess and adapt to the impacts of climate change," Connor said today. "The projects we are funding will help resource managers as they strive to develop effective water management solutions."

Twelve projects received grants to meet the science needs of the LCCs. The entity must provide at least a 50-percent cost-share. The entities that will receive funding are:

Alamosa Land Institute
Arizona Game and Fish Department (2)
Arizona State University (2)
Colorado State University
Desert Botanical Garden, Inc.
New Mexico Office of the State Engineer
Northern Arizona University
The Nature Conservancy (2)
University of Arizona

In addition, Reclamation solicited statements of interest from other federal agencies for partnership on science projects in the LCCs. Seven projects were identified to receive funding. The federal agencies partnering with Reclamation are:

U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (4)
U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center (2)

LCCs are partnerships of governmental (federal, state, tribal and local) and non-governmental entities. The primary goal of the LCCs is to bring together science and resource management to inform adaptation strategies to address climate change and other stressors within an ecological region defined as a landscape.

The Desert LCC encompasses portions of five states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, as well as a substantial portion of Northern Mexico. The area is topographically complex, including three different deserts (Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan), grasslands and valley bottoms, and the isolated mountain ranges in the southern portion of the LCC (Apache Highlands and the New Mexico-Texas Highlands, also known as the Sky Islands). There are several large river systems, including the lower Colorado, Gila, Rio Grande, San Pedro and Verde. To learn more about the Desert LCC, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/LCC/desert.html.

The Southern Rockies LCC encompasses large portions of four states: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, as well as smaller parts of Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming. The area is geographically complex, including wide elevation and topographic variation; from 14,000 foot peaks to the Grand Canyon and cold desert basins. This topographically complex region includes the headwaters of the Colorado River and Rio Grande, the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains to the west, and the Southern Rocky Mountains to the east, separated by the rugged tableland of the Colorado Plateau. To learn more about the Southern Rockies LCC, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/LCC/south.html.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar established the WaterSMART program in February 2010 – the SMART in WaterSMART stands for "Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow" – in cooperation with Commissioner Connor, Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes and Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Anne Castle. Funding for WaterSMART is focused on improving water conservation and helping water and resource managers make wise decisions about water use.

To learn more about WaterSMART, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

Complete descriptions of the projects selected are available at: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/lcc/.

St. Mary River and Milk River Basins Study Complete

WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor released the St. Mary River and Milk River Basins Study Summary Report outlining the findings of a two-year comprehensive study of the river basins. The report recommends using and enhancing the new river system model developed through this study to further analyze alternatives to address supply and demand issues in the basins, including Tribal and international issues.

The study, completed in partnership with Montana Department of Natural Resources, developed and tested a river systems model to serve as a planning tool, looked at historic and future water supplies and demands, and evaluated alternatives of how the St. Mary River and Milk River system might meet projected demands in the basin.

"Basin Studies bring water managers together to look at future supply needs and to create solutions to meet those needs," said Commissioner Connor. "Even in good water years we have experienced water shortages in the Milk River Basin, so it is clear that our collaboration with the State of Montana on this study will provide new information and create a set of tools and alternatives that will be used to help meet the basin’s future water demands."

Reclamation and DNRC developed and tested a "daily time step" river system model for stakeholders in the basins to use as a planning tool. The model was calibrated for historic water supply and demand conditions and then was run for five future climate scenarios to assess how the existing infrastructure would respond. The model provides decision-makers and stakeholders a tool to evaluate issues and potential solutions within the basin.

Mary Sexton, Montana DNRC Director, said, "Improved modeling will allow us to assess future water availability and demand in these basins, where water shortages are expected to increase.

"Our challenge going forward will be to improve our infrastructure and to manage water as efficiently as possible," Sexton said. "The new river system model gives DNRC, the Bureau of Reclamation and water users a valuable tool for meeting that challenge."

The St. Mary River and Milk River basins were selected as part of the WaterSMART Basin Study Program in 2009. Basin studies are comprehensive water studies that define options for meeting future water demands in river basins in the western United States where imbalances in water supply and demand exist or are projected to exist. Since its establishment, 17 basins have been selected to be evaluated. The Yakima River Basin in Washington, also selected in 2009, was completed earlier this year.

The WaterSMART Program addresses increasing water supply challenges, including chronic water shortages due to population growth, climate variability and change and growing competition for finite water supplies. Through the Basin Study Program, Reclamation will work cooperatively with state and local partners in the 17 western states to evaluate future water supply and demand imbalances, assess the risks and impacts of climate change on water resources and develop potential mitigation and adaptation strategies to meet future demands.

To read the St. Mary and Milk River Basins Study Summary Report please visit: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/bsp/. To learn more about WaterSMART and the other basin studies, please visit: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

YRBWEP Workgroup Honored with AWRA Integrated Water Resources Management Award

YAKIMA, Wash. - The American Water Resources Association (AWRA) recognized the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Workgroup with its Integrated Water Resources Management Award for 2012.

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) established the YRBWEP Workgroup in 2009 to develop comprehensive solutions to water resource issues in the Yakima Basin by drawing on 30-plus years of information and experiences gained under YRBWEP and various planning efforts.

AWRA Board President William Battaglin noted that the IWRM Award was the first of its kind and that the YRBWEP Workgroup, "exemplifies the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources to maximize economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability of ecosystems and the environment."

"Nothing about water in the West is simple," said Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant. "It's easy to be limited by the approaches of the past. We’re delighted to be moving forward with a plan that overcomes historical hurdles to create a better future. Recognition like this validates those efforts."

Reclamation and Ecology are joined in the Workgroup by the Yakama Nation, irrigation districts, environmental organizations, and other federal and non-federal partners.

"This is a great honor for our partners and is a confirmation that diverse groups can accomplish incredible things that will benefit people, the economy, and the environment for generations," said Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor.

Congress authorized YRBWEP in 1979, in response to water rights negotiations which began in 1977. Since that time, YRBWEP success stories include several habitat restoration projects, infrastructure upgrades that enhance water conservation and increase instream flows for fish.

AWRA will present the award at its annual awards luncheon on Nov. 14, 2012, in Jacksonville, Fla.

AWRA is a non-profit association founded in 1964 to advance professionals in water resources management, research, and education. AWRA's multidisciplinary members include water resources experts such as engineers, educators, foresters, biologists, ecologists, geographers, managers, regulators, hydrologists and attorneys.

Media Advisory: Spotlighting Yakima Basin Partnerships

YAKIMA, Wash. - The spotlight will be on a new, highly efficient water delivery system designed to meet agricultural and environmental needs today and for generations to come.

Who: The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SVID), Bureau of Reclamation, Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), and the Yakama Nation.

What: Completion of Phase I Sunnyside Canal Improvement Project authorized under the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Water Conservation Program. The project includes: replacement of 30 manually-operated check structures with fully automated gates; construction of three re-regulation reservoirs; and the installation of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for efficient water operations from a central location.

When: June 6, from 10 am - 12:30 pm

Where: The event will take place at Reregulation Reservoir 37.10 adjacent to the Sunnyside Canal near Route 241 and Van Belle Road, about 2 miles northeast of Sunnyside, Wash.

Why: Celebrating the completion a nine-year, $45 million water conservation project designed to improve irrigation deliveries and in-stream flows for fish in the Yakima River.

How: For details contact Tim McCoy, YRBWEP manager, (509) 575-5848 (#209) or Jim Trull, SVID manager, (509) 837-6980.

Event Speakers and Activities:

Jim Trull, SVID District Manager, will introduce the guest speakers which include:

• Robert Golob, chairman of Sunnyside Division Board of Control; Yakama Nation representative invited; Tom Tebb, Ecology Central Regional Office director; Bill Gray, Reclamation Columbia-Cascades Area manager; and Lorri Lee, Reclamation Pacific Northwest Regional Director

• A keyboard stroke by Regional Director Lee will turn the system on to underscore new technology and efficiency.

• Educational displays and brochures explaining the construction, coordination, and the high-tech tools used to manage the system.

Funding Opportunity Available for Efforts to Establish or Expand Watershed Groups

WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced that Reclamation is seeking applications for its Cooperative Watershed Management Program to establish or expand a local watershed management group.

"This collaborative program is one more way we are advancing the goals of the WaterSMART effort as well as the recently announced Blueways System at the Department of the Interior," Commissioner Connor said. "The Cooperative Watershed Management Program will help coordinate and sustain clean and consistent water to communities in the West. Reclamation continues to work with its stakeholders and partners to find better ways to conserve and reuse this precious resource."

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program provides funding for watershed groups to encourage diverse stakeholders to form local groups to address their water management needs. Associated with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s WaterSMART initiative, the purpose of the program is to improve water quality and ecological resilience, conserve water, and reduce conflicts over water through collaborative conservation efforts in the management of local watersheds.

Reclamation has made $247,000 available for this funding opportunity announcement and each award is limited to $50,000. A second-year of funding, up to $50,000, may be awarded to successful applicants if sufficient progress is demonstrated. No cost-share is required. Applicants may be eligible under two categories through this funding opportunity. One is for the establishment of a watershed group. Eligible applicants are states, Indian tribes, local and special districts (irrigation and water districts, county soil conservation districts, etc.), local governmental entities, interstate organizations and nonprofit organizations located in the western United States or U.S. territory. The second funding category is for the expansion of a watershed group. Eligible applicants must be a current watershed group or a participant in an existing watershed group that is legally incorporated within the state in which it operates and meets the definition of a "watershed" group as defined in the funding opportunity.

The Cooperative Watershed Management Program also supports the Blueways System that Interior Secretary Salazar announced earlier today in Connecticut. The National Blueways System highlights and supports river and watershed strategies for sustainable watershed resources that are led by stakeholder communities and organizations.

The WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) effort was launched by Secretary Salazar in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. The program establishes a framework to provide federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water and integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources.

The funding opportunity is available on www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R12SF80035. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, July 9.

SVID Event to Spotlight Water Conservation, Partnerships and Improved Infrastructure

YAKIMA, Wash. - A special event set for June 6 will bring federal, state, and private partners together to celebrate the completion of a nine-year, $45 million water conservation construction effort aimed at improving irrigation deliveries and enhancing instream flows for threatened and endangered fish.

The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SVID) is hosting the event which will include representation from the Bureau of Reclamation, Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), the Yakama Nation and others to celebrate the completion of Phase I Sunnyside Canal Improvement Project authorized under the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Water Conservation Program.

The event is scheduled from 10 am - noon at Sunnyside Reregulation Reservoir 37.10 located adjacent to the Sunnyside Canal near State Route 241 and Van Belle Road about 2 miles northeast of Sunnyside, Wash.

"This water conservation project is designed to effectively manage water deliveries," said Jim Trull, SVID manager. "If the system indicates that more water is needed in the canal we can meet that need quickly with our new automated system. On the other hand, if too much water is in the canal the excess will return to the reservoir for storage and not be wasted."

Some of the highlights of the new system include:

• Three reregulation reservoirs to regulate flows in the Sunnyside Canal, each with a capacity of 300-500 acre feet.

• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to provide remote control and data collection resulting in a cost savings on fuel, labor, and water supplies.

• Thirty automated check structures to stabilize water surface elevations in the main Sunnyside Canal.

• Returns 30,000 acre feet to the Yakima River for instream flow improvements to benefit fish and wildlife.

• A cost-sharing effort involving 65 percent federal; 17.5 percent state; and 17.5 percent SVID.

The SVID Water Conservation Program is the result of a water rights settlement agreement between Reclamation, Ecology, the Yakama Nation and the Sunnyside Division Board of Control (SDBOC). Under the agreement, SVID will reduce its annual diversion by 19,450 acre-feet to benefit in-stream flows and retain 9,712 acre-feet to improve irrigation water supply beginning in 2013. Under a separate agreement, Reclamation purchased the use of SVID's saved water for instream flows.

For more information about the event contact Tim McCoy, Reclamation YRBWEP Manager, at (509) 575-5848 x209.

Funding Opportunity Available for Applied Science Grants for Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative

WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking applicants for Applied Science Grants for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Proposed projects are expected to meet the science needs identified by the Desert LCC Steering Committee and should help resource managers address natural and cultural resource issues that have a connection to water resources management in a changing climate.

The science needs for the Desert LCC in 2012 are:

Interactions between ecosystems and hydrology
Impacts of climate change and land/resource management to watersheds and associated hydroecologic resources
Climate change impacts to surface water and ground water dependent habitats and species
Climate change impacts to the interaction between surface water and ground water resources
Investigate climate change impacts to future water supply and resource availability for humans and ecosystems
Improved monitoring and inventory of watersheds and their associated infrastructure and ecosystems (including pathogens and invasive species)
Improved hydrologic forecasting and modeling methodologies including better understanding and communication of associated uncertainty

Reclamation has $685,000 available for Desert LCC Applied Science Grants. Funding for each project is limited to $150,000 and requesting entity must provide at least a 50-percent cost-share. Entities eligible to receive funding include: states, tribes, irrigation districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, organizations with water or power delivery authority and nonprofit organizations.

LCCs are partnerships of governmental (federal, state, tribal and local) and non-governmental entities. The primary goal of the LCCs is to bring together science and resource management to inform climate adaptation strategies to address climate change and other stressors within an ecological region, or "landscape."

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R12SF80301. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, June 28.

To learn more about the Desert LCC, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/LCC/dlcc/.

Funding Opportunity Available for Applied Science Grants for Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative

WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking applicants for Applied Science Grants for the Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Proposed projects are expected to meet the science needs identified by the Southern Rockies LCC Steering Committee and should help resource managers address natural and cultural resource issues that have a connection to water resources management in a changing climate.

The identified science needs for the Southern Rockies LCC in 2012 are:

Develop a model to inform management decisions related to habitat protection/preservation for desired population numbers of riparian obligate and wetland species
Assessment of vulnerability to reduction in habitat
Assessing species/population vulnerabilities through identification of migration and connectivity corridors, and identification of adaptation strategies
Identification of changes in source-water runoff and resultant changes to surface/groundwater interaction
Incorporate climate change projections and ecological flow needs into hydrological models in order to develop water supply scenarios that would inform decisions about water allocation to meet human and ecological needs
Data Management and Spatial Data: data cataloging and acquisition of spatial data to aid in identification of LCC focal resources and associated needs

Reclamation has $685,000 available for Southern Rockies LCC Applied Science Grants. Funding for each project is limited to $150,000 and requesting entity must provide at least a 50-percent cost-share. Entities eligible to receive funding include: states, tribes, irrigation districts, universities, nonprofit research institutions, organizations with water or power delivery authority and nonprofit organizations.

LCCs are partnerships of governmental (federal, state, tribal and local) and non-governmental entities. The primary goal of the LCCs is to bring together science and resource management to inform climate adaptation strategies to address climate change and other stressors within an ecological region, or "landscape."

The funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number R12SF80300. Applications are due by 4 p.m. MDT, June 28.

To learn more about the Southern Rockies LCC, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/LCC/srlcc/.

New Online Application and Other Tools Expand Public Access to Critical Data for Assessing Water Availability across the West

WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced a new online tool for western water managers and the public to help increase accessibility of science-based information and understanding of how climate variations will impact the availability of water to communities. Projected streamflow data can be found at the Bureau of Reclamation's new website on Streamflow Projections for the Western United States. The site provides a straightforward interface to data for 195 sites on streams and rivers throughout the West.

"Across the western United States, water is the lifeblood of our communities, their economies and their environments," said Secretary Salazar. "The Department of the Interior produces valuable scientific activity, and this resource ensures that consistent and easily accessible data is available to everyone, such as local water managers - not just scientists."

Also announced today from Interior is a series of projections for the effects of climate change on fourteen U.S. basins. The U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the hydrologic response to different projected carbon emission scenarios using a hydrologic simulation model and applied the model to specific basins across the nation. For more information on this study, click here. Reclamation's new online streamflow projections tool and the USGS report build upon the efforts of the Department of the Interior and its bureaus to evaluate how climate variability may impact hydrology and the availability of water supplies in the western United States.

Reclamation's 2010-2011 West-Wide Climate Risk Assessment developed a large set of hydrologic projections at a 12 kilometer resolution covering western states; this data is used in the streamflow projections. The impacts to western water resources in the United States derived from this data were highlighted in Reclamation's SECURE Water Act Report released in April 2011.

Although this data has been publicly available since 2011, access has been primarily limited to technical users who have the ability to translate the gridded hydrology projections into future streamflow and water supplies at locations of interest. This new, user-friendly tool builds in those complex calculations for future streamflow and water supplies at the 195 relevant sites, using an approach developed by the University of Washington.

"The data available through this new tool will help local water managers and planners throughout the West," Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor noted. "Climate variability will impact the timing and amount of water available. This science-based resource allows for the incorporation of climate change modeling in the long-term planning of local communities as they strive to meet their future water needs."

This latest Reclamation dataset is just one of several tools developed and used by agencies within the Department of the Interior to study potential impacts on water supplies from climate change and to provide tools to resource managers to adapt to those changes.

The Bias Corrected and Downscaled Climate and Hydrology Projections archive, for example, was collaboratively developed by Reclamation, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Santa Clara University, Climate Central, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Scientists derived the projections from downscaled, monthly gridded precipitation and temperature data from 112 contemporary climate projections over the contiguous United States. This data was made available through the World Climate Research Programme and serves the gridded hydrology projections generated from the West-Wide Climate Risk Assessment.

This type of data will particularly benefit Interior's Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. LCCs are public-private partnerships that recognize that climate change and other natural resource challenges transcend political and jurisdictional boundaries. The cooperatives provide a landscape-scale approach to conservation – collaborative, adaptive and grounded in science – to ensure the sustainability of America's land, water, wildlife and cultural resources. LCCs seek to identify best practices and knowledge gaps, and avoid duplication through improved conservation planning and design.

The climate change toolbox also supports Interior's WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) effort which Secretary Salazar launched in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. The program establishes a framework to provide federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water and integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources.

To learn more about how Reclamation is addressing the impacts of climate change please visit www.usbr.gov/climate.

Genevieve Johnson Selected as Coordinator of Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative

WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are pleased to announce that Genevieve Johnson has been selected as Coordinator for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC). Johnson will provide ongoing facilitation and operational leadership to the Desert LCC consistent with the goals, objectives and guidance of the Desert LCC Steering Committee. Johnson is a Bureau of Reclamation employee based in Phoenix.

The Desert LCC is part of a national network of LCCs that were established by the Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. They are self-directed partnerships among federal, state, tribal and private organizations and agencies within a geographic area. LCCs aim to define a common vision for managing natural resources and cultural resources across large connected areas – or landscapes – by identifying and supporting the science needed to implement effective and sustainable conservation priorities.

Johnson begins this position after working at the U.S. Forest Service since 2009 where she served as the lead for the development, guidance and monitoring of land management planning in Arizona. She previously worked to improve land conservation efforts as a planner with Arizona State Parks Open Spaces Program. Some of her early work experience includes managing several resource management plans and associated environmental impact statements while at the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona.

Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology in 1997 and her Master of Science in Urban and Environmental Planning in 2007, both from Arizona State University in Tempe.

The Desert LCC encompasses portions of five states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as a substantial portion of Northern Mexico. It also includes several large river systems, including the lower Colorado, Gila, San Pedro, and Verde Rivers plus the Rio Grande. The Colorado River Basin is one of the most critical sources of water in the West. The richness of the topography leads to equally diverse species composition; the area supports habitat for many native plants, fish and wildlife species, including many endemic species that are extremely susceptible to climate change.

Five Oregon Irrigation Districts receive WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants

BOISE, IDAHO - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has selected five Oregon irrigation districts to receive WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant funding to stretch water supplies and conserve energy in the western United States.

"Strong partnerships are crucial to creating a sustainable water and energy supply," said Secretary Salazar. "The WaterSMART program is designed to foster local partnerships and support innovative solutions to the water challenges of the future. This funding will not only help ensure a stable water supply for businesses and local residents but also create jobs, enhance the environment and strengthen local economies."

Secretary Salazar established WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) in February 2010 to facilitate the work of Interior's bureaus in pursuing a sustainable water supply for the nation. The program establishes a framework to provide federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water and integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources. Since its establishment in 2010, WaterSMART has provided more than $118 million in competitively-awarded funding to non-federal partners, including tribes, water districts, municipalities, and universities.

"Providing sufficient water for agricultural, municipal, industrial, recreational and environmental needs is fundamental to the health and economies of communities across the western United States," said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor. "This funding will support the efforts of several local communities to secure their water supplies and reduce dependence on imported water sources."

The five Oregon irrigation districts include:

Central Oregon Irrigation District, Malott Tail Water Recovery Project

Reclamation Funding: $18,960 Total Project Cost: $257,178

• The Central Oregon Irrigation District will construct a retention system, including installation of an energy efficient pump, to recapture and reuse irrigation, storm, and run-off water to decrease the amount of water deliveries necessary for irrigation. The project is expected to result in water savings of about 398 acre-feet annually. In addition to improving efficiency, the project is expected to help to improve water quality in the Lower Crooked River, potentially benefitting reintroduced steelhead in that portion of the river.

North Unit Irrigation District, Water and Energy Conservation Initiative Phase II

Reclamation Funding: $300,000 ($600,000 over 2 years) Total Project Cost: $1,347,935

• The North Unit Irrigation District in Madras, Oregon, will work with the Central Oregon Irrigation District to pipe one mile of the I lateral to address seepage losses. The project is expected to result in approximately 1,300 acre-feet of water savings annually. Through a partnership with the Deschutes River Conservancy, conserved water will be marketed to restore instream flows in a critical reach of the Crooked River. The project will also lead to increased flows through existing turbines, which will enable the Central Oregon Irrigation District to generate up to an additional 318,638 kilowatt-hours of energy each year. The project is also expected to allow approximately 191,178 kilowatt-hours of energy to be saved annually through pumping reductions.

North Unit Irrigation District, Lateral 58-11 Piping Project

Reclamation Funding: $200,000 ($942,982 over 3 years) Total Project Cost: $1,923,447

• The North Unit Irrigation District will also pipe two miles of Lateral 5-11, an earthen canal that currently loses a significant amount of water to seepage. The project is expected to result in water savings of approximately 673 acre-feet annually. Conserved water will be used to restore instream flows in the Crooked River. The District estimates that an average 158,155 kilowatt-hours of energy will be saved annually through pumping reductions.

Ochoco Irrigation District, Ochoco Main Canal Multi-purpose Screen and Automation

Reclamation Funding: $146,909 Total Project Cost: $299,814

• The Ochoco Irrigation District in Prineville, Oregon, will install a new flume to allow more accurate water measurement, a new gate with automated control, and a multipurpose screen at the District's main canal diversion near the Ochoco Dam outlet. The project is expected to result in water savings of 2,870 acre-feet annually by reducing seepage and spills. Conserved water will remain in storage for other uses. The District also estimates that the project will allow approximately 656,640 kilowatt-hours of energy to be saved annually through reduced pumping of water from the Crooked River.

Owyhee Irrigation District, Lower Owyhee River Rehabilitation Project Phase II

Reclamation Funding: $299,000 Total Project Cost: $1,161,004

• The Owyhee Irrigation District in Nyssa, Oregon, will convert 4.5 miles of existing open ditch conveyance to closed pipeline and will also install 20 advanced flow meters and an automated side sweep cleaner to improve the operational efficiency of the delivery system. Once completed, the project is expected to result in water savings of about 188 acre-feet annually. Water conserved through the project will remain in Lake Owyhee to be available for other downstream users. In addition, installation of this pipeline is expected to facilitate future on-farm improvements by landowners who may take advantage of the pressurized system to convert from furrow irrigation to sprinkler and drip irrigation.

Three Sisters Irrigation District, Watson-McKenzie Main Canal Pipeline Project

Reclamation Funding: $750,000 ($1,500,000over 3 years) Total Project Cost: $5,604,981

• The Three Sisters Irrigation District in Oregon will pipe 14,000 feet of the Watson-McKenzie Main Canal and will install meters at farm turnouts. The project is expected to result in water savings of approximately 1,850 acre-feet annually. Conserved water will be dedicated for insteam flows through the Deschutes River Conservancy. Additional water in Whychus Creek is expected to improve riparian habitat and benefit Bullhead Trout and Steelhead. The pressurized pipeline resulting from this project will also allow farmers who receive deliveries from the District to implement further improvements. As part of an existing partnership, the Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide assistance, as available, for those farmers to expedite coordinated water conservation improvements in the area.

This year, Reclamation received 167 applications for water and energy efficiency grants from water districts, municipalities and Native American Tribes from across the West. These proposals were ranked through a published set of criteria in which points were awarded for those projects that conserve water, incorporate renewable energy or address the water-energy nexus, address Endangered Species Act concerns, contribute to water supply sustainability, and/or incorporate water marketing.

To learn more about this announcement and other funding announcements made today, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

Boise Project Board of Control to receive a $39,813 WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant

BOISE, IDAHO - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has selected the Boise Project Board of Control of Boise, Idaho, to receive $39,813 in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant funding to stretch water supplies and conserve energy in the western United States. "Strong partnerships are crucial to creating a sustainable water and energy supply," said Secretary Salazar. "The WaterSMART program is designed to foster local partnerships and support innovative solutions to the water challenges of the future. This funding will not only help ensure a stable water supply for businesses and local residents but also create jobs, enhance the environment and strengthen local economies."

Boise Project Board of Control, Mora Canal Automation Enhancement Project

Reclamation Funding: $39,813 Total Project Cost: $79,628

• The Boise Project Board of Control in Idaho will automate the Mora Canal headgate facilities. New actuators will be controlled by an existing data logger, enabling better management of the flows into the Mora and New York canals and thereby minimizing spills of tailwater to downstream irrigation facilities or the Snake River. The project is expected to result in water savings of approximately 4,500 acre-feet annually once completed, which will remain in the Anderson and Arrowrock reservoirs to be made available for other uses.

To learn more about this announcement and other funding announcements made today, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

Roza Irrigation District to receive $300,000 a WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant

BOISE, IDAHO - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has selected the Roza Irrigation District of Yakima, Wash., to receive $300,000 in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant funding to stretch water supplies and conserve energy in the western United States.

Roza Irrigation District, Enclosed Conduit Project Pump 5, 6, 12

Reclamation Funding: $300,000 Total Project Cost: $1,109,008

• The Roza Irrigation District in Sunnyside, Washington, will pipe 7.4 miles of laterals and will install advanced flow meters to improve water measurement. The project is expected to conserve 767 acre-feet of water annually that is currently lost to direct evaporation, seepage, and operational waste. Conserved water will remain in the Yakima River or be stored in reservoirs to supplement existing water supplies for future needs.

To learn more about this announcement and other funding announcements made today, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART

WaterSMART Funding Boosts Reclamation, Re-Use and Efficiency Projects to Maximize Water Availability in the West

WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has selected $32.2 million in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants and Title XVI Projects and Feasibility Studies to stretch water supplies and conserve energy in the western United States.

Eight congressionally authorized Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse projects will receive $20.3 million in funding. In addition, $943,000 will be provided for the development of eight new feasibility studies that will explore potential water recycling projects. The Title XVI program is focused on identifying and investigating opportunities to reclaim and reuse wastewaters and naturally impaired ground and surface water in the 17 western states and Hawaii. Title XVI projects have the potential to stretch water supplies using time-tested methodologies as well as piloting new concepts.

Of the Title XVI funding, seven projects and seven studies are located in California, while one project and one study are in Texas. A complete description of all selected Title XVI projects and feasibility studies is available at: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/title/.

The Irvine Basin Groundwater and Surface Water Improvement Project by the Irvine Ranch Water District in California, for example, will receive $3.85 million this year to help conserve water. Nearing completion, this project consists of two components. The first utilizes a natural treatment system that uses wetlands to remove contaminants from urban drainage facilities, and the second component pumps and treats brackish groundwater. Combined, these components produce approximately 13,300 acre-feet of water annually.

The congressionally authorized Title XVI projects receive cost-shared funding for the planning, design or construction. Entities receiving feasibility study funding must provide at least 50-percent non-federal cost-shared funding.

The 34 new WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants selected for funding will use $11 million to conserve water and energy through improvements to existing facilities in 11 states-- California, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. These projects are expected to save 56,826 acre-feet of water annually, which is enough water for more than 227,000 people. Combined with the non-federal cost-share, these projects will complete $51 million in improvements.

A complete description of the 34 projects is available at: www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/weeg/.

The Consolidated Irrigation Company near Preston, Idaho, for example, will convert 6 miles of unlined earthen canal with 3.5 miles of high-pressure pipe to address seepage and evaporation losses. Once complete, improvements are expected to save 9,484 acre-feet of water annually. The project also includes the installation of a 500-kilowatt hydropower facility that will generate 2.53 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity annually as the pipeline drops into Glendale Reservoir.

Some of the projects selected for funding also will enable farmers to make additional on-farm improvements in the future. For example, in Utah, the Moroni Irrigation Company will convert 12.5 miles of open canal to pipeline, an improvement expected to save 3,000 acre-feet of water annually by reducing seepage and evaporation losses. Once the project is complete, farmers are expected to take advantage of the newly pressurized system to convert from flood irrigation to more efficient sprinkler systems, potentially resulting in additional water savings.

For more information on the WaterSMART program, please visit www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.