Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects

The U.S. Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation, administers the Small Surface and Groundwater Storage Program (Small Storage Program) to promote Federal assistance to enhance water storage opportunities for future generations in support of the Department’s priorities. Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to support stakeholder efforts to stretch scarce water supplies and avoid conflicts over water.Congress enacted the BIL on November 15, 2021. Title IX—Western Water Infrastructure was enacted to address water storage infrastructure that is critical to the Nation’s economic growth, health, and competitiveness. Section 40903 authorizes Reclamation to provide funding for small surface water storage and groundwater storage projects.Surface water and groundwater storage are essential tools in stretching the limited water supplies in the Western United States. Water storage projects enhance and make more reliable municipal and irrigation water supplies as well as provide opportunities to enhance groundwater management abilities and to provide water quality improvements and ecosystem benefits. These projects will provide Western communities with new sources of water and increase water management flexibility, making water supply more reliable. Water storage projects help water managers increase resilience to climate change and are directly aligned with Executive Order (EO) 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, see https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad. Further, EO 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, calls on agencies to advance equity through identifying and addressing barriers to equal opportunities across policies and programs, including grant opportunities. Water storage projects are an important part of Reclamation and the Department’s priorities.The objective of this NOFO is to invite sponsors of small surface water and groundwater storage projects (projects) to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those projects.