• $25 million in new funding for fish habitat restoration.
• Investments include weir removal and floodplain restoration.
• Funding supports ecosystem health and water supply reliability.
• Builds on previous $81 million for drought resilience in California.

October 18, 2024 — The Bureau of Reclamation announced yesterday $25 million in new funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to improve fish habitats and facilities in the Sacramento River Valley. This significant investment is designed to bolster ongoing restoration efforts to safeguard native fish species while enhancing regional water supply reliability.

Support for Fish Habitats and Local Communities.

This funding will aid projects to protect key fish species in the Central Valley, including fall-run Chinook, spring-run Chinook, winter-run Chinook salmon, and Steelhead trout. Habitat for these species has suffered from water resource development and changes to stream channels, but the new investments seek to reverse some of that damage.

Among the projects, $2 million will go toward removing the Sunset Weir in the Feather River, improving fish migration. $1.5 million will fund floodplain and tidal wetland restoration in the Yolo Bypass of the Sacramento River. These initiatives are part of broader efforts under the Biden Administration’s Investing in America plan and the America the Beautiful Challenge.

Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton emphasized the importance of collaboration, saying, “This investment will help Central Valley communities, private organizations, and tribes collaborate to improve fish habitat and facilities that support fish populations.”

Complementing State Programs and Building on Past Investments.

The new funding complements California’s Healthy Rivers and Landscapes program, which is already working to increase river flows, restore ecosystems, and ensure reliable water supplies. This support also builds on an $81 million investment in drought resilience and water conservation in the San Joaquin Valley, south of Sacramento.

These projects are crucial in addressing the challenges posed by long-term droughts in California and other parts of the West, as part of the larger $4 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for water conservation.

Details on applying for this funding will be available on Grants.gov and Reclamation’s Inflation Reduction Act webpage. Applicants must demonstrate how their projects will mitigate drought impacts and provide measurable benefits to fish habitats.

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Image of the Sacramento River via the Bureau of Reclamation’s news release.

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