SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom has advanced an unprecedented $8.5 billion worth of investments to conserve, store, and deliver more water to California communities. Recent investments have also focused on protecting Californians from historic flooding. On June 8, California announced more than a quarter of a billion dollars for projects throughout the state to continue accomplishing these goals. The Department of Water Resources or DWR, through the Urban Community Drought Relief Grant program, has awarded over $217 million to 44 projects that will help communities strengthen drought resilience and better prepare for future dry conditions – helping advance efforts outlined in Gov. Newsom’s strategy to adapt California’s water supply for a hotter and drier future. These investments, in the local area, focus on: Flood Risk Management/Groundwater Recharge.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works will receive $10.5 million to reinforce the Santa Anita dam and remove sediment, providing additional storage capacity for downstream groundwater recharge in the Santa Anita Spreading Grounds. The project will increase the county’s ability to recharge with stormwater, adding over 2,000 acre-feet of new storm water resources to the groundwater basin annually. The project was previously visited by Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot in January during record-setting rains.
Improved Water Supply Reliability
In Ventura County, the Casitas Municipal Water District will receive $3.6 million to develop a deep extraction well to provide an estimated additional 8,000 acre-feet per year of new water supply. In Santa Clara County, the City of Morgan Hill will receive $4 million to construct a new 850,000-gallon aboveground steel water supply reservoir.
Recycling Water
In Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will receive $4.5 million to upgrade the Dominguez Gap Seawater Intrusion Barrier to use 100 percent recycled water.
Water Conservation/Yard Transformation
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will receive $30 million to implement a turf replacement program available to all of its member agencies serving a combined 19 million Californians, and will save up to 4,050-acre feet of water per year by converting an estimated 30 million square-feet of non-functional turf to water-efficient landscaping.
Additionally, in May the Administration dedicated $71 million to address drinking water shortages, species protection, and populations particularly impacted by drought. This includes:
$10 million to provide immediate and near-term financial and technical support to help small communities whose water supplies have been impacted by drought.
$55 million to address dry wells by providing hauled water and well repair and replacement.
$500,000 to fund stream gages and well transducers for use in Clear Lake to better understand the relationship between streamflow, well pumping, and water use. This funding will support the threatened Clear Lake hitch.
$500,000 for a contract to investigate groundwater/stream water interactions in the Clear Lake region. This funding will support the threatened Clear Lake hitch.
$5 million to provide direct relief grants for small-scale and historically underserved farmers.