Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
may 2015
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water
Bureau of Reclamation sends $50 million to water-starved Western states for water conservation
May 20, 2015
The Department of the Interior announced on May 20 that $50 million from the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART grants will be sent to 12 drought-stricken states for water reclamation and reuse facilities, recycling and desalination programs, and water and energy infrastructure and efficiency initiatives. $24 million will be sent to Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington; a full $23 million will be sent to program efforts solely in California.
Reclamation and reuse facilities and research in California were awarded the majority of grants; $5.2 million will go to the Sweetwater Authority Water Reclamation Project in San Diego County and $5 million to the South Bay Water Recycling Program in Santa Clara County. Funds will also pay for 20 miles of new recycled water pipelines, new storage reservoirs, and reliability improvements at transmission pump stations in California.
Additional funds will pay for a $900,000 4.8-megwatt hydroelectric plant in Colorado and will provide $1 million to help build a water reuse facility and conveyance pipeline project in Washington.
The federal funds provided by the Bureau of Reclamation will be matched by nonfederal players for a total of $133 million towards drought mitigation initiatives in the West.
Source: E&E News
NOAA opens $24.5 million National Water Center in Alabama
May 26, 2015
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) opened its new National Water Center on The University of Alabama campus on May 26. The Center will streamline national water forecasting by increasing the water monitoring network from 4,000 to 2.7 million monitoring locations under the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service and encouraging interagency collaboration.
Partnering with researchers at the University, the Center will provide sophisticated computer models for both the public and the research community. It will offer a comprehensive approach to examining water resources: observing how drought affects groundwater flow and how storm surges and heavy rains affect rivers, streams, coasts, and lakes.
The Center will also offer a new mechanism for collaborative efforts between federal agencies and academia. The Center’s goals align with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Integrated Water Resources Science and Services, which aims to enhance water-related planning and preparedness communication among USACE, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Future programs will expand the Center’s purview to water quality work with the EPA.
Sources: E&E News, NOAA News, USACE
Updated: June 8, 2015