Pouring Funds into Water Conservation

Funds for farmers to keep farming—but with less water—are headed west. 

Downpourload: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced an effort to save up to 50K acre-feet of H2O across 250K acres of traditionally irrigated farmland. Think drought-impacted places like Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. 

The funds will help improve irrigation systems and allow farmers to swap to less water-intensive crops or try new management practices and technologies to reduce water use. 

As part of the $400M effort, 18 irrigation districts will receive up to $15M each. Up to $40M will be offered for conservation on tribal lands, in partnership with Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

Soundbite: “We want to scale up the tools available to keep farmers farming, while also voluntarily conserving water and expanding markets for water-saving commodities.” — Vilsack

Western water security: This new funding builds on other water conservation efforts in the west. In May 2024, the Bureau of Reclamation noted that Colorado River System’s reservoirs were no longer under immediate threat of dropping to elevations that would risk power production and water deliveries. 

And Lake Mead levels are at the highest they’ve been since 2021 due to investments in conversation and hydrology. The Biden-Harris Administration is now focused on long-term sustainability and water conservation in the west.