The Department of Water Resources DWR today announced $46 million in grants for nine community-based drought relief projects in six counties through the Urban Community Drought Relief Grant program.
The $46 million in financial assistance will provide critical support to implement drought relief projects and build long-term resilience to severe weather in communities across the state, and will help advance efforts outlined in Governor Newsom’s strategy to adapt California’s water supply for a warmer, drier future.
While recent storms improved conditions and helped fill many of the state's reservoirs to or above average levels, the state is looking at a return to dry conditions in the coming months, with much of California continuing to experience drought impacts after the three driest years on record.
“California faces the real-time impacts of a changing climate, as evidenced by our state’s historic drought and recent flood emergency. Preparing for a future impacted by climate change means not only supporting new water supply efforts, but also strategies that capture excess flows during extreme wet events,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.
“Today’s funding, with more than half invested in underrepresented communities, will help strengthen water supply reliability across the state by supporting recycled water and groundwater recharge infrastructure while promoting smart water use,” he added.
The $46 million in financial assistance will boost projects that support water recycling, flood risk management/groundwater recharge, improving water supply reliability, and landscape transformation.
The 2022 Urban Community Drought Relief program is designed to address the impacts of drought on California communities while promoting water conservation. Of the total funding announced Thursday.
Notably, $28 million will advance drought relief projects to improve water supply reliability in underrepresented communities.
With a changing climate making swings between drought and flooding more extreme, California must continue to implement new programs to manage water in this new climate reality, DWR said.
In that regard, he stressed that Californians must continue to use water wisely, both indoors and outdoors, so that the economy, community and environment continue to prosper.
The second phase of grants will be announced in spring 2023.
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