March 10, 2023 – The Biden-Harris administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2014 will give the Bureau of Reclamation $1.4 billion. The allocation to Reclamation prioritizes climate resiliency and drought mitigation.
The proposal includes:
- $49 million for the Lower Colorado River Operations Program, including $16.8 million to implement drought contingency plans.
- $2.7 million for the Upper Colorado River Operations Program to support Drought Response Operations.
- $200.3 million is allocated to find long-term, comprehensive water supply solutions for farmers, families, and communities in California.
- $62.9 million is for the WaterSMART Program to address emerging water demands and water shortage issues in the West.
- $57.8 million advances the construction and continues the operations and maintenance of authorized rural water projects.
- $35.5 million is provided for the Native American Affairs Program to provide technical support and assistance to tribal governments.
- $210.2 million is allocated for the Dam Safety Program to manage risks to the downstream public, of which $182.6 million is for modification actions.
- $105.3 million is requested for extraordinary maintenance activities across Reclamation.
- $33 million is requested to implement the California Bay-Delta Program, and $48.5 million is for the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund.
- $66.8 million is allocated for Policy and Administration.
Reclamation will also receive nearly $1.7 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in FY 2024 to provide clean, reliable drinking water to rural and Tribal communities, protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System, and increase water efficiency across the West.
More information:Â Bureau of Reclamation news release
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My family lives in between the city of Caliente and community of Panaca, Nevada. We are located in Lincoln County on the east side of the State. We are in the Highland Knolls subdivision and have been here for 30 years.
This year when I simply use water as a residential property, my well pump has been bringing up so much silt and sand that I believe our water table has dropped significantly. Besides the continuing drought here, the local farmers have gone “full bore” on putting in circular water systems in all the valley. As for myself, I simply had to stop watering all my trees and shrubs a month ago. Now, the toll I pay is everything dying. It’s so sad; our property value has to have plummeted too.