The Department of Water Resources ?DWR, for its acronym in English? today announced the award of $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 climate resiliency in communities across the state, and help advance efforts outlined in the strategy of the Governor Newsom to adapt California's water supply for a hotter, drier future.
While recent storms have improved conditions and helped fill many of the state's reservoirs to or above average levels, the state has seen a return to dry conditions in the coming months, and much of California continues to experience impacts. of drought after the three driest years on record.
“California is facing 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 the reliability of water supplies 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 was designed to address the impacts of drought on California communities while promoting water conservation. Of the total financing announced this Thursday.
Notably, $28 million will advance drought relief projects to improve the reliability of water supply in underrepresented communities.
With a changing climate making swings between drought and flood more extreme, California must continue to implement new programs to manage water in this new climate reality, the DWR said.
In that sense, he stressed that Californians must continue to use water wisely indoors and outdoors so that the economy, community and environment continue to prosper.
The second phase of the grants will be announced in the spring of 2023.
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