Aug 8, 2024USDA investing $40 million to explore water conservation in western US
The USDA is investing $400 million with at least 18 irrigation districts across the western U.S. to help farmers continue commodity production while also conserving water.
The funding is expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production while creating new, sustainable market opportunities, according to a statement on the USDA website.
“Agricultural producers are the backbone of rural communities across the West, and many of them are struggling under prolonged drought conditions,” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in the statement. “USDA is taking an ‘all hands’ approach to help address this challenge, including these new partnerships with irrigation districts to support producers. We want to scale up the tools available to keep farmers farming while also voluntarily conserving water and expanding markets for water-saving commodities.”
Partnering with irrigation districts
USDA worked to select irrigation districts based on commodity production and water management-related criteria, using data from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation to ensure close alignment. USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) provided data and analysis to support the preliminary selections.
Districts that have been preliminarily selected for potential inclusion in this program include:
- Black Canyon Irrigation District, Idaho.
- Brooklyn Canal Company, Utah.
- Central Oregon Irrigation District, Oregon.
- Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District, Arizona.
- Corcoran Irrigation District, California.
- East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Washington.
- Elephant Butte Irrigation District, New Mexico.
- Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, California.
- Greybull Valley Irrigation District, Wyoming.
- Hidalgo & Cameron Counties Irrigation District 9, Texas.
- Huntley Project Irrigation District, Montana.
- Imperial Irrigation District, California.
- Maricopa–Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District, Arizona.
- Palisade Irrigation District, Colorado.
- Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Washington.
- Solano Irrigation District, California.
- Sutter Mutual Water Co., California.
- Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, Nevada.
The preliminary selected districts may receive up to $15 million each and will enter into sub-agreements with the producers participating within the district, according to the USDA. Depending on available funding, awards to additional districts may be possible.
Producers who participate will receive payments for voluntarily reducing water consumption while maintaining commodity production. The needs of producers will determine the specific strategies for water conservation, including irrigation improvements, shifts in management practices and shifts in cropping systems.
USDA finalizing agreements with the preliminarily selected districts, which will include water-saving strategy details, commodities to be produced and specific budgets.
