USBR to fund water and energy efficiency projects

The US Department of the Interior has announced that the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) will invest approximately $19.6m for 36 water and energy efficiency projects and three river basin studies in the west of the country.

The funding for the projects and basin studies are part of the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Program to meet future water demands, conserve water in the face of climate change, and increase the use of renewable energy.

The three river basins include Upper Red River Basin in Oklahoma, Upper Deschutes Basin in Oregon and Missouri River Headwaters Basin in Montana.

US Department of the Interior secretary Sally Jewell said that climate change is already impacting the Western US in a variety of ways, from reducing water supplies to changing the time and place of snowpack runoff.

"Through this funding announced today, Interior is supporting President Obama’s Climate Action Plan by providing tools for states and water users to proactively meet future water and energy demands," Jewell added.

Entitled for the funding are states, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts and other organisations with water or power delivery authority in the 17 western states, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands.