Bureau of Reclamation

Reclamation provides 1 of 5 Western farmers with irrigation water

Reclamation is the second largest hydropower producer in the U.S.

Reclamation delivers 10 trillion gallons of water annually

Reclamation and its partners manage 289 recreation sites

Featured Resources

Stories & Media

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  Indian Water Rights Settlement Signing Ceremony

  Secretary Jewell participated in a signing ceremony and celebration of four recent Indian water rights settlements representing nine tribes with tribal members and members of Congress. The ceremony was held on Friday, January 13th, and a video of the event is available. Read More  →

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  Reclamation's Provo Area Office in Utah Recognized with the 2016 Federal Energy & Water Management Award

  The Bureau of Reclamation’s Provo Area Office in Utah earned three awards in 2016, demonstrating the Bureau’s commitment to environmental sustainability and excellence. These included the Department of the Interior’s Environmental Achievement Award (Building the Future Award), the Federal Energy and Water Management Award, and Interior's Customer Service Award (Water Project Coordinator Initiative). Read More  →

• Len Schilling Named Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Dams Area Office Manager

  

  Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Regional Director Terry Fulp has announced the selection of Len Schilling as the Area Manager of the Lower Colorado Dams Office (LCDO). As the LCDO Area Manager, Schilling will provide management and operational oversight for Hoover, Davis and Parker Dams and their associated facilities in delivering water to Nevada, Arizona, California and Mexico and providing clean, renewable hydropower. Hoover Dam is also recognized as a national icon with nearly a million visitors to the site every year. Read More →

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  Reclamation Announces Water Management Plan Standard Criteria Revision for 2017

  The Bureau of Reclamation has updated the Standard Criteria for evaluating its Water Management Plans in response to the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992 and in accordance with the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982. The purpose of the Standard Criteria are to promote the highest efficiency of water delivery. Section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act requires contractors to prepare and submit Water Management Plans every five years with definite goals, delivery timetables and appropriate water conservation measures. Section 3405(e) of the CVPIA requires the Standard Criteria be reviewed every three years and revised if necessary. With no additional requirements set for 2017, the updated criteria will become effective Feb.1 following public review. Read More →

• Bureau of Reclamation Launches Prize Challenge to Seek Solutions for Improving Weather Forecast Predictions

  

  The Bureau of Reclamation is launching a new prize challenge, Sub-Seasonal Climate Forecast Rodeo, to ask solvers to improve existing sub-seasonal forecasts and to develop systems that perform demonstratively better than the existing baseline forecast for predicting temperature and precipitation over a 15 to 42-day time frame. If there are winners of this prize challenge, they will share up to $800,000 in prize money. Solvers of this prize challenge will have three months to develop their system, at which point they are asked to provide forecasts every two weeks over a 13-month period, with the first month being a "pre-season" to become familiar with the submission and evaluation processes. Read More →

• Bureau of Reclamation Releases Water Markets Report

  

  The Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation have released a report reviewing the role of Reclamation in water markets. For decades, water users in the West have used many different approaches to address water needs particular to their location. In some instances, these approaches have created market conditions in which buyers and sellers voluntarily trade water rights. Such water market transactions can often involve Reclamation facilities. This new report, “Water marketing activities within the Bureau of Reclamation,” highlights the ways Reclamation has partnered with water users to enable such transactions. The report reviews a series of case studies which illustrate a tremendous amount of locally-led innovation. Read More →

• Bureau of Reclamation Launches Two Prize Challenges Seeking Solutions to Expand Usable Water Supplies

  

  The Bureau of Reclamation is launching two new prize challenges, Arsenic Sensor Challenge and More Water, Less Concentrate. This is the first stage for each challenge. Subsequent stages with larger prize purses are planned for testing and demonstrating the most promising technologies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contributed significant efforts to the design of this prize competition, and Xylem Inc., a global water technology company, became a co-sponsor through its contribution to the prize purse. The Indian Health Service, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Agricultural Research Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey collaborated on various aspects of the development of this challenge. Read More →

• Around Reclamation in 2016 - The Bureau of Reclamation had a busy year in 2016, with celebrations of major milestones, maintenance of its facilities, habitat improvement projects, and C.A.S.T. for Kids events. Take a glimpse at some of the activities. Read More  →