FY 2026 Priority Area Projects

Active across the West are 11 new and 26 ongoing priority funding areas for conservation activities that complement Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART projects. 39 areas selected during the last five years have completed the funding phase of program delivery and technical assistance is being provided to contract participants. 

About Multi-Year Priority Area Funding Projects

The project descriptions shown below include the following key information and a narrative about the collaborative effort: the name of the funding project, the amount of EQIP funds budgeted through the WaterSMART Initiative to help eligible producers in the area, the extent in acres of the area, the funding project budget period, the target number of new contracts to be funded in the area, the target amount of new acres to enter into contract, which Reclamation WaterSMART Program Opportunities provided funding by year to the complemented project, and the type of project completed by a local irrigation district or other water management organization receiving the Reclamation WaterSMART funds.

Find Project Descriptions by State or Native American Indian Land 

• Native American Indian Lands
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Washington
• Wyoming

Additional Information

• Acronyms for Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Programs
• Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Links 

Native American Indian Lands

Name: The Pueblo of Zia
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,375,000
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 600
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2029
Goal for New Contracts: 45 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 600 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: DRP (2019)
Complemented Project Type: Drought Resiliency Project
Reclamation Funding: $750,000

The Pueblo of Zia in Sandoval County, New Mexico, used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to replace the flume connecting the Pueblo's sole reservoir across the Jemez Ricer to the South Ditch to maintain future delivery of water to some of the most productive farmland within the Pueblo. The southern farms that use the South Ditch have had consistent drought conditions, which have been further exacerbated by infrastructure design constraints and inadequate water supply. With the additional NRCS assistance, farmers in the area will be able to increase water use efficiency and increase the land's drought resiliency by improving soil health and degraded plant condition. 

Arizona

No active funding projects

California

Name: Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $5,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 12,700
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 50 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,200 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: PPD (2023) Complemented Project Type: groundwater banking
Reclamation Funding: $400,000

The Lindsay-Strathmore Irrigation District (LSID) is in Tulare County, California. It encompasses 15,400 acres, of which approximately 12,700 acres are irrigated. LSID used funds from the Reclamation WaterSMART Planning and Project Design grant to develop documents for the Rancho de Kaweah Groundwater Banking Project. This project targets banking 5,000 acre-feet of water per year to counterbalance drought year groundwater use by replenishing the groundwater in the underlying unconfined aquifer with underutilized surface water supplies made available during the irrigation and winter flood release seasons. The primary resource concerns to be addressed are water quantity, inefficient irrigation water use, and naturally available moisture within the crop root zone. With NRCS financial assistance, growers and producers will save additional water by increasing on-farm efficiencies and operationalizing conservation efforts. To preserve this additional water, build drought resilience, mitigate further groundwater depletion, and secure a reliable sustainable yield of groundwater, growers will construct and line irrigation reservoirs, install precision irrigation systems, and improve irrigation efficiency through development of irrigation water management plans and adoption of conservation management systems. EQIP funding will also facilitate growers to protect and improve water quality, plant productivity and health, and soil health.

Name: Tulare Irrigation District 2026
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $6,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 70,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 73 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 6,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: Applied Sciences Grant (2023), SWEP (2017), WEEG (2021), WMSG (2020) 
Complemented Project Type: modeling, SCADA, infrastructure, marketing 
Reclamation Funding: $1,933,150

The Tulare Irrigation District in Tulare County, California used four Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, one in each of the following opportunities: Applied Sciences, Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects, Water and Energy Efficiency Grants, and Water Marketing to improve surface water deliveries, prevent groundwater overdraft, and assure the overall reliability of available supply. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers in the area will use the limited water supplies to grow crops more efficiently and save approximately 1,200 acre-feet annually for longer periods of production during drought cycles.

Name: Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District 2026
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $6,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 56,500
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 73 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 6000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: DRP (2022, 2023)
Complemented Project Type: groundwater recharge 
Reclamation Funding: $4,352,759

The Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District in Tulare and Kern Counties, California used two Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, both in the Drought Resiliency Projects category, to monitor groundwater levels and expand recharge capacity by at least 5,788 acre-feet per year. With additional NRCS assistance, growers in the area will be able to implement on-farm solutions that improve their ability to access and efficiently apply these stored volumes of surface water for use in future dry years.   

Name: Merced Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $9,000,000
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 132,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2029
Goal for New Contracts: 145 project life
Goal for New Contract Acres: 8,900 project life
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: DRP (2015, 2017), WEEG (2018) 
Complemented Project Type: drought response and infrastructure
Reclamation Funding: $2,958,926

The Merced Irrigation District in Merced County, California used four Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, three in the Drought Response Program and one in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to improve water management models and install a water regulating reservoir. These projects enable better control of water deliveries and response to drought conditions. With additional NRCS assistance, crop farmers in the eastern part of the county will improve efficiency of their irrigation systems. This improvement will lead to a reduction in the application of surface and groundwater, ensuring that water supplies remain available for drinking water users, safeguarding the human right to water for all residents. Furthermore, it will enable more farm acreage to remain in production throughout drought cycles. In addition to these water savings and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will also enhance the efficiency of using equipment and facilities, thereby saving water, energy, and reducing production costs. Overall, these measures will contribute to sustainable agriculture practices, benefiting both farmers and the environment in the Merced County. 

Name: Westlands Water District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $15,000,000
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 357,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 -2029
Goal for New Contracts:  150 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 15,800
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: PPD (2024), SWEP (2022), WEEG (2021)
Complemented Project Type: infrastructure modernization
Reclamation Funding: $3,517,326 

The Westlands Water District in Fresno and Kings counties, California used two Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, one in the Small-Scale Water Efficiency Project category to retrofit two meters to an existing pipeline and one in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to retrofit 760 groundwater meters with advanced automated metering infrastructure. Westlands Water District will use one Planning and Design WaterSMART grant to plan and design modifications to optimize the use of existing infrastructure to diversify the district’s water supply portfolio. These projects plan to save 17,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year by decreasing the amount of water lost from inaccurate meter readings, which eliminates overirrigation, and increases water application efficiency by implementing advanced metering infrastructure throughout the service area. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers will save additional water by optimizing and increasing efficiency of on-farm operations. To save this additional water, avoid further groundwater depletion, and build drought resilience, growers will line irrigation reservoirs, develop irrigation water management plans to improve irrigation efficiency, improve micro irrigation practices, install temporary diversions and/or construct recharge facilities. EQIP funding will also help growers in this area protect water quality, improve soil health, and improve crop productivity and health.

Name: Fresno Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $10,500,000
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 155,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 20285
Proposed New Contracts: 130
Proposed New Contract Acres: 10,200
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2014, 2016), SWEP (2020)
Complemented Project Type: canal lining, infrastructure, automation
Reclamation Funding: $1,325,000

The Fresno Irrigation District in Fresno County, California used two Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category and one in the Small-Scale Water Efficient Project category to line several canals, install groundwater banking infrastructure, and automate water system controls. This project saved 6,700 acre-feet of water per year by offsetting groundwater pumping with collected stormwater storing it for release during the irrigation and winter flood release seasons. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including historically underserved African American, Asian, and Hispanic producers, will be able to save an additional 5,500 acre-feet of water each year either by not pumping it from the ground or intercepting it during flood release flows. To save this additional water and build drought resilience, producers will install micro-irrigation systems, pumps, and pipelines, line reservoirs, manage nutrients, manage residue, plant cover crops, amend soil carbon, and install groundwater recharge basins or on-farm recharge practices. Reduced groundwater pumping allows for more water to be available to disadvantaged communities such as Fresno, Sanger, Biola, Kerman, Del Rey, Calwa, Malaga, Easton, Fowler, and Raisin City. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will protect water quality, improve soil health, and improve crop productivity and health.

Name: Lower Tule River Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $7,900,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 85,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2028
Goal for New Contracts: 130 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 8,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2017, 2023), SWEP (2019)
Complemented Project Type: ag canal piping, metering, metering
Reclamation Funding: $3,075,000

The Lower Tule River Irrigation District in Tulare County, California used two Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category and one in the Small-scale Water Efficiency Project category to install automated meters at turnouts along open canals, meters to monitor flows into groundwater recharge basins, and pipes to convert earthen canals. This project saved 19,837 acre-feet of surface water per year previously lost to seepage to meet the demands within the district during the summer or to store for release during the winter as flood waters to recharge groundwater. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers including historically underserved producers will be able to install micro-irrigation systems, pipelines, and pumps, line reservoirs, manage nutrients and crop residue, plant cover crops, amend soil carbon, and install groundwater recharge basins or on-farm recharge practices saving an additional 4,500 acre-feet of water from being pumped from the ground each year. Reduced groundwater pumping allows for more water to be available to disadvantaged communities including Tipton, Woodville, Poplar, Waukena, and Corcoran. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will protect water quality, improve soil health, and improve crop productivity and health.
 

Name: Tranquility Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,050,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 10,750
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2028
Goal for New Contracts: 45 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,200 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2013)
Complemented Project Type: automation
Reclamation Funding: $300,000

The Tranquility Irrigation District in Fresno County, California used one Reclamation WaterSMART Program grant in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to automate and control water deliveries in two separate distribution systems. This project saved 630 acre-feet of surface water per year previously lost to seepage, evaporation, and dead storage losses to meet demands within the district. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers will be able to install micro-irrigation systems and pipelines, line reservoirs, manage nutrients and residue, plant cover crops, amend soil carbon, and install groundwater recharge basins or on-farm recharge practices saving an additional 500 acre-feet of water from being pumped from the ground each year.
 

Name: Madera Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $19,400,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 96,500
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2023 to 2027 
Goal for New Contracts: 165 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 9,750 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2013, 2016)
Complemented Project Type: automation 
Reclamation Funding: $1,172,769

The Madera Irrigation District in Madera County, California used three Reclamation WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants to improve surface water distribution, automate water delivery, and prevent water loss from spills, over-delivery, evaporation, and seepage. These projects save 9,294 acre-feet of water per year for use to meet the demands within the district and replenish the groundwater aquifer. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including historically underserved farmers, will be able to install micro-irrigation systems and pipelines, line reservoirs, manage nutrients and residue, plant cover crops, and install groundwater recharge basins or on-farm recharge practices saving an additional 3,000 acre-feet of groundwater from needing to be pumped each year. Reduced groundwater pumping allows for more water to be available to the disadvantaged communities of the City of Madera, Firebaugh, Mendota, Bonita, Fairmead, Ripperdan, and La Vina. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will protect water quality, improve soil health, and improve crop productivity and health.

Name: Eastern Municipal Water District Area (San Jacinto Local Partnership)
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $800,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 18,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 25 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,250 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: Title XVI (2008, 2015)
Complemented Project Type: infrastructure
Reclamation Funding: $150,000

The Eastern Municipal Water District (EWMD) in Riverside County, California used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to prepare a Recycled Water Strategic and Master Plan for reducing reliance on imported water by increasing the amount of recycled water delivered to agricultural, municipal, and residential customers. Agricultural production in the San Jacinto Watershed is mostly irrigated acres used for alfalfa, citrus, nursery, turf, and dairies. With additional NRCS assistance, farmers and ranchers in the priority area will be able to improve irrigation system efficiency, address variable water pressure from the district’s delivery system, and manage irrigation water applications based on soil moisture monitoring technology. In addition to the water savings and drought resilience benefits, EQIP assistance will also help them improve water quality by reducing salt transported to ground water and improve crop productivity and health.

Name: McMullen Area
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $5,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 118,300
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026 
Goal for New Contracts: 25 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 5,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: SWEP (2020)
Complemented Project Type: automation and metering
Reclamation Funding: $75,000

The McMullen Area Groundwater Sustainability Agency (MAGSA) in Fresno County, California used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to implement a data collection system to monitor groundwater use and saltwater intrusion in 23 wells for metering flow rates in accordance with Sustainable Groundwater Management Act rules. With additional NRCS assistance, farmers in the priority area will be able to improve soil moisture management through cover cropping, reduce evapotranspiration losses by converting from flood irrigation to low pressure sprinkler systems, and reduce groundwater withdrawals allowing for conserved water to be available for use during droughts. In addition to the water savings and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will also help them improve crop productivity and health.

Colorado

Name: Baca-Picketwire Diversion Dam Complex
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,792,255 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 9,284 acres
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2027 
Goal for New Contracts: 9 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,002 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Program Opportunities: CWMP P2 (2021)
Complemented Project Type: watershed restoration
Reclamation Funding: $161,586

The Purgatoire Watershed Partnership (PWP) in Las Animas County, Colorado collaborated with the Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District (PRWCD; irrigation district), the Baca and Picketwire Ditch Companies, NRCS, and other local partners, in using Reclamation WaterSMART funds to implement the Baca-Picketwire Diversion Dam Watershed Restoration Project. The project installed an erosion/flood protection wall, diversion dam cap, and debris rack into the Baca-Picketwire Diversion Dam infrastructure complex to improve water delivery efficiency and provide an additional 1,000 acre-feet of water annually to irrigators. It also incorporated a fish passage structure into the dam and removed woody invasive species along the ditch and river to reduce sediment loading in the ditch and provide fish habitat benefits. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including Hispanic farmers and ranchers, will make both improvements to irrigation systems both on and off the farms. The first section of the main open earthen ditch will be lined with reinforced concrete to reduce seepage and evaporative losses which is expected to deliver at least 15% water savings during water delivery. An automated headgate (separate funding) will also be installed to automate water flow which is expected to improve the accuracy of water use tracking and provide monitoring data for improving water use planning and management particularly during drought. Additional on-farm irrigation system improvements and weed control measures on pastures will further increase water savings and drought resilience in the area. In addition to the water and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding is expected to eliminate bank erosion, reduce sediment loading, and reduce the cost of weed control in the water conveyance channel.
 

Idaho

Name: Johnson Lamont Phase 1 2026
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $2,219,592 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 13,830
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2028
Goal for New Contracts: 10  
Goal for New Contract Acres: 3,440 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2012), DRP (2016) 
Complemented Projects Type: canal conversion to pipeline, drought resilience
Reclamation Funding: $1,517,281

The Consolidated Irrigation Company (CIC) located in Franklin County, Idaho used two Reclamation WaterSMART program grants, a Water and Efficiency Grant to convert a section of earthen canal to high pressure pipes for saving 9,484 acre-feet of water annually, and a Drought Resiliency Grant to connect to another water supply company for building resiliency by exchanging water during times of drought. With additional funding from NRCS, CIC will convert another section of earthen canal to pipeline, add water measurement capacity, and improve on-farm irrigation water management and efficiency, potentially saving 500 acre-ft more of water annually from being diverted from Cub River, Mink Creek and Worm Creek, all tributaries to the Bear River.

Name: Pipe Dream Area 4
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $2,061,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,650
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 5  
Goal for New Contract Acres: 315 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: CWMP P1 (2018)  
Complemented Projects Type: watershed planning 
Reclamation Funding: $100,000

The Wood River Water Collaborative and Trout Unlimited used one Reclamation WaterSMART program grant, a Cooperative Watershed Management Planning grant, to create a long-term water management framework for improving water delivery infrastructure and on-farm improvements in the Wood River watershed. Big Wood Canal Company (BWCC), a member of the collaborative, identified the need to improve irrigation water delivery efficiency in the Pipe Dream Area 4 located in Lincoln County, Idaho. With funding from NRCS, BWCC will convert earthen canal to pressurized pipeline to reduce water losses from seepage and evaporation and reduce energy demand by eliminating pumps or replacing them with higher efficiency ones. 2,285 acre-feet of water savings annually are estimated to be available for storage in Magic Reservoir and carrying forward to drier years, increasing drought resilience for local producers.

Name: Moore Canal System – Upper Moore Proper
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,188,769 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,028 
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 15  
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,581 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2021) 
Complemented Projects Type: canal conversion to pipeline
Reclamation Funding: $500,000

The Arco Diversion Convenance Lateral Pipeline Association in Butte County, Idaho, used one Reclamation WaterSMART program grant to convert a section of an earthen canal to pipeline. The Moore Canal project is divided into three major sections. With additional funding from NRCS, the upper section of the canal will be converted to pipeline and further improve water deliveries to all water users including the City of Moore. Historically, the City of Moore doesn’t receive water from this canal and has increased groundwater pumping to the point that the aquifer is depleting. The canal section being converted with NRCS funding is known to lose an average of 60% of the diverted water through seepage and evaporation which equates to 218 acre/feet of water each year due to porous soil. Continuing this diversion's water saving efforts will continue to benefit the entire system’s water users by leaving additional water in the Big Lost River and James Creek which historically runs dry 7 out of 10 years.  

Name: King Hill irrigation District 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $8,500,000  
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 5,997 
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026   
Goal for New Contracts: 42  
Goal for New Contract Acres: 5,984 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2014) 
Complemented Projects Type: water metering
Reclamation Funding: $295,176

The King Hill Irrigation District in Elmore County, Idaho participated in the Idaho Water Resource Board’s project funded by a Reclamation WaterSMART program grant. The project installed four flow meters for measuring irrigation water diversions according to their water rights and found a 35 percent loss of water delivered from actual amounts pumped. With additional NRCS assistance, pumping plants will be installed along the Snake River to facilitate the installation of conveyance pipeline needed to eliminate current dirt ditches. An estimated 18,733 acre-feet/year of conserved water will remain in the Snake River channel, benefitting up and downstream users as well as sustaining critical habitat for the endangered salmonid fish species in the Snake and Columbia River basins. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding is also expected to save energy and costs from reduced pumping, reduce sediment loads, and lower maintenance costs.

Name: Twin Falls Clover Irrigation Area
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 3,000
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026 
Goal for New Contracts: 35 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 3,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2013, 2019)
Complemented Project Type: canal lining & piping
Reclamation Funding: $539,000

The Twin Falls Canal Company in Twin Falls County, Idaho used two Reclamation WaterSMART grants to improve management of water demands in its service area through construction of an irrigation pond and lining 4,200 linear feet of earthen canal with prefabricated geomembrane liner. These projects respectively saved 13,500 and 9,420 acre-feet annually of water diverted from the Snake River at Milner Dam for other irrigation water users in the area by reducing seepage loss and improving delivery efficiency. With additional NRCS assistance, other water management entities, including pump companies lifting water into the improved canal, as well as farmers and ranchers in the area will be able to further reduce seepage loss in the delivery system and improve irrigation water use efficiencies on crop fields and pastures. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding is also expected to improve water quality by reducing nutrient transport, improve crop productivity and health through nutrient management, and reduce erosion in the canals.
 

Kansas

No active funding projects

Montana

Name: Helena Valley Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $512,450 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 20,073
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 6 
Goal for Contract Acres: 300 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2021)
Complemented Project Type: canal piping
Reclamation Funding: $479,674

The Helena Valley Irrigation District in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is using one Reclamation WaterSMART Program grant in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to convert 3 miles of earthen canal to pipeline. This project estimates saving 1,550 to 1,650 acre-feet per year of water normally lost to seepage, however only half the project is feasible under current inflation rates. If the project is implemented, it will reduce the need to withdraw water from Prickly Pear Creek or Lake Helena. With additional NRCS assistance, Water Management Entities will be able to convert 8,700 linear feet of pipeline. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding may reduce nutrients transported to surface water from cropland and improve crop productivity and health.

Nebraska

Name: Upper Republican Natural Resources District 2026 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,250,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,727,400
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 25 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 12,500
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2023)
Complemented Project Type: metering
Reclamation Funding: $834,310

The Upper Republican Natural Resources District (URNRD) which covers Dundy, Chase and Perkins Counties in southwest Nebraska used a Reclamation WaterSMART grant awarded in 2023 to expand a remote water metering system. The system provides producers with real-time data on irrigation water use and evaporation-transpiration losses needed to reduce groundwater withdrawals. It includes digital water meters and transceivers on 2,000 irrigation wells and builds on a similar grant from 2018 which installed meters on 1,018 wells. The new technology is expected to reduce irrigation water use in the area by over 9%, which is the equivalent of 24,310 acre-feet of water conserved annually. A study of the Republican River Basin released by Reclamation in March 2016 indicated that declining groundwater levels and streamflow in the river created intense competition for limited water supplies and litigation. With additional NRCS and EQIP assistance, more farmers in the area will be able to further improve water-use efficiency in irrigation systems and the conserved water will be available for use during drought periods. The EQIP funding will also help reduce nutrient loss and groundwater pollution and improve crop health and productivity.
 

Nevada

Name: Truckee-Carson Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,500,000 
Priority Area Extent: 52,290 acres
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 95 
Goal for Contract Acres: 3,800 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2021)
Complemented Project Type: automation
Reclamation Funding: $103,506

The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District in Churchill County, Nevada used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to automate six check structures within the V-Line Canal to enable level flow control for more efficient water conveyance and increased public safety. The project resulted in water savings of 3,445 acre-feet annually allowing for reduced diversions from the Truckee River. With additional NRCS assistance, farmers and ranchers in the area will be able to line dirt ditches with concrete, install water control structures, and level irrigated fields to improve water use efficiency. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding is also expected to reduce nutrients transported to surface water and improve crop productivity and health.
 

New Mexico

Name: Fort Sumner Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,950,000 
Priority Area Extent: 6,700 acres
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 34 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 760 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: SWEP (2019)
Complemented Project Type: automation, canal lining
Reclamation Funding: $24,972

The Fort Sumner Irrigation District in De Baca County, New Mexico used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to install telemetry equipment to monitor real-time flow data, install an automatic head gate controller, and provide more consistent water deliveries. With additional NRCS assistance, farmers in the area will be able to improve soil moisture, use irrigation water more efficiently, and monitor water diversions from the Pecos River potentially saving 340 acre-feet per season. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding is expected to reduce organic matter depletion and improve crop productivity and health.

North Dakota 

No active funding projects

Oklahoma

No active funding projects

Oregon

Name: East Fork Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $4,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 2,500
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2029 
Goal for New Contracts: 30 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: EWRP (2022)
Complemented Project Type: canal conversion to pipeline
Reclamation Funding: $2,000,000

The East Fork Irrigation District located in Hood River County, Oregon used one Reclamation WaterSMART Program grant to upgrade 10,700 feet of irrigation pipeline and install pressure reducing stations. This upgrade will more efficiently deliver water to 260 producers irrigating over 10,000 acres and enable additional on-farm water savings. Most water supplied to the district is withdrawn from the East Fork of the Hood River where water temperature is a concern for fish habitat. With additional NRCS assistance, orchard producers and other growers will be able to improve 2,000 acres of cropland and 500 acres of pasture in the area by upgrading irrigation systems to low-flow and micro sprinkler systems. These improvements will result in 40% greater efficiency and further reduce the demand for water from the Hood River by a total of 3,825 acre-feet.  

Name: Vale Oregon Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $3,500,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 2,200
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2029
Goal for New Contracts: 40
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,100
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2023)
Complemented Project Type: canal conversion to pipeline
Reclamation Funding: $2,520,000

The Malheur Watershed Council and the Vale Oregon Irrigation District located in Malheur County, Oregon used one Reclamation WaterSMART Program grant to pipe 10.4 miles of earthen lateral canals in the west bench area which will result in savings of approximately 4,896 acre-feet per year and elimination of an eroding canal that is a source of sediment that degrades water quality. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers in the area will be able to convert from furrow irrigation to sprinklers which use water 30% more efficiently and reduce the quantity of surface water withdrawals.  In addition to the water conservation and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will help reduce the risk of transporting nutrients which can lower crop productivity and pollute downstream water bodies.  

Name: Middle Fork Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $4,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,300
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2029
Goal for New Contracts: 30    
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,300 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2020)
Complemented Project Type: canal lining
Reclamation Funding: $266,600

The Middle Fork Irrigation District in Hood River County, Oregon used one Reclamation WaterSMART Program grant in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to line or convert canals to pipeline along the Coe Branch tributary of the Middle Fork Hood River. This project eliminated 407 acre-feet of water from being withdrawn, allowing the tributary to support populations of Steelhead, Chinook, and Bull Trout. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including historically underserved Hispanic farmers, will be able to install irrigation sprinklers, pipelines, and micro-irrigation systems on crop fields and pastures to improve irrigation water use efficiency and further reduce water withdrawals. Partners will monitor the amount of water withdrawals so the amount of water conserved can be accurately measured and documented. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will help further improve fish and wildlife habitat.

South Dakota

No active funding projects 

Texas

Name: El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,500,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 54,993
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2024 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 60 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1800 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG & SWEP (13 grants)
Complemented Project Type: canal lining and piping
Reclamation Funding: $6,069,345

The El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in El Paso County, Texas, used 13 Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, six in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant and seven in the Small-Scale Water Efficient Project category, to line and convert canals to pipe. These projects will reduce water loss from seepage and spillage, ensure consistent water delivery to agricultural areas along the Rio Grande Valley, and reduce sediment loading to improve the quality of water delivered. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including historically underserved producers, will be able to install sprinklers, micro-irrigation systems, and pipelines, line ditches, protect banks from erosion, and restore a wetland. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will reduce sediment transported to surface water, improve crop productivity and health, and improve habitat for fish and other aquatic species.
 

Utah

Name: Buttars Lateral 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,900,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 764
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2027
Goal for New Contracts: 23 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 733
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2024) 
Complemented Project Type: automation 
Reclamation Funding: $1,724,100

The West Cache Irrigation Company in Cache County, Utah received a Reclamation WaterSMART grant in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant Category to improve the Cornish pumping station and infrastructure at canal diversions, including the diversion for the Buttar’s Lateral. That project is expected to result in annual water savings of 1,124 acre-feet. The Buttar’s Lateral receives water from the West Cache Irrigation Company, through a diversion below the Cornish pumping station. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers along this lateral, including historically underserved producers, will be able to install irrigation systems, pipelines, and flow meters, to more efficiently manage irrigation water on crop and pasture lands. Estimated water savings from these on-farm improvements within this project area are expected to be approximately 843 acre-feet per year. In addition to water savings and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will reduce the transport of nutrients and sediments to surface waters and improve plant productivity and health.
 

Washington

Name: Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program 2026 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $10,000,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 87,700
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 40 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 15,000
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2019, 2023), CWMP (2021), SWEP (2021)
Complemented Project Type: canal to pipeline conversion, watershed planning, infrastructure 
Reclamation Funding: $975,000

The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) located in Adams, Grant, Lincoln, and Franklin Counties in Central Washington has received over $65 million in federal funding from the Bureau of Reclamation since the program started in 2005. The goal of the OGWRP project is to replace groundwater withdrawn from the rapidly declining Odessa Subarea Aquifer with sustainable withdrawals of surface water from the Columbia River to support agriculture on 87,700 acres of high-value irrigated farmland. Program partners including the Lincoln County Conservation District and the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District recently used four Reclamation WaterSMART Program grants, one in the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, one in the Small-scale Water Efficiency Project, and two in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to generate a watershed management plan for the Mid-Columbia Basin, convert earthen canals in the East Low area, and make other infrastructure improvements needed to accelerate the groundwater replacement. New EQIP funding will accelerate implementation of the on-farm projects across the entire area and build on progress made through prior EQIP and RCPP funding for laterals 80.6, 84.7. and 86.4 along the East Low main canal. Once farms in the new EQIP funding project complete irrigation water use efficiency improvements, 16 more irrigation wells will be effectively decommissioned and an additional 39,000 acre-feet (4.2 billion gals) of groundwater will be available to the 25 communities that rely on the aquifer for their drinking water supply.

Name: Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $5,150,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,550
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 25 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,650
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: DCP (2015)
Complemented Project Type: drought contingency planning 
Reclamation Funding: $172,409

The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District (SVID), serving nearly 95,000 acres of irrigated farmland across Yakima and Benton Counties, Washington, has a need to convert over 5 miles of open canal to pipe, to implement the Enhanced Water Conservation Element of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan. The plan was developed by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington Department of Ecology in March of 2012. With assistance from NRCS and EQIP funding, 4.2 miles of the Prosser West Lateral will be converted to pipe and several deteriorating structures will be replaced to enable on-farm efficiency improvements by producers irrigating over 1,300 acres of land. Piping this lateral will reduce seepage and evaporative losses, eliminate the need for aquatic herbicides and mechanical weed control, and reduce hazards like damage to residences from water breaching the open canal banks and drowning in a highly populated area. The 800 acre-feet of water lost annually and now conserved in the Yakima basin storage reservoirs will be available for distribution to district patrons in drought years and increasing in-stream flows for fish during critical outmigration periods.

Name: Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District West Canal
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $10.600,000
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 146,500
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2023 to 2027
Goal for New Contracts: 70 
Goal for Contract Acres: 5,000 
Reclamation WaterSMART Program Opportunities: WEEG (2019, 2020), SWEP (2019) 
Complemented Project Type: canal lining, piping, automation
Reclamation Funding: $623,130

The Quincy Columbia Basin Irrigation District in Grant County, Washington used three Reclamation WaterSMART grants, one in the Small-scale Water Efficiency Project category and two in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grants category, to line or pipe canals and automate a lateral turnout. These projects eliminated 1,939 acre-feet of water losses per year in the West Canal project area for use during drought conditions. With additional NRCS assistance, agricultural producers, including historically underserved farmers, will be able to pipe over 6,900 linear feet of on-farm laterals, sub laterals, and open ditches saving an additional 2,400 acre-feet of water each year. Conversion to higher efficiency sprinkler systems will also help reduce soil erosion improving the quality of collected tailwater for use further down the system. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will reduce nutrients transported to surface water from cropland, improve plant productivity and health on pasture, and improve wildlife habitat on associated agricultural land.

Name: Kittitas Reclamation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $6,600,000  
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 57,397
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026 
Goal for New Contracts: 45 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 5,200 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2016, 2018, 2018), SWEP (2018, 2020)
Complemented Project Type: canal lining
Reclamation Funding: $1,524,288

The Kittitas Reclamation District in Kittitas County, Washington used five Reclamation WaterSMART grants to seal sections of concrete lined canals, line earthen sections with geomembrane and concrete, or replace earthen sections with steel reinforced polyethylene and other types of pipes. These projects save 934 acre-feet of water per year for supplementing instream flows in designated critical habitat areas of the Upper Yakima River headwaters used by Bullhead and Steelhead trout. With additional NRCS assistance, water management entities will be able to convert high priority smaller laterals and sub laterals within the 330 miles of conveyance system to pipelines saving an additional 1,204 acre/feet of water/year and farmers and ranchers will be able to convert from rill irrigation to sprinkler systems conserving another 1,230 acre/feet of water/year and improving drought resiliency for the community. In addition to the water saving and drought resilience benefits, EQIP funding will reduce irrigation-induced soil erosion preventing the transport of sediment and nutrients to local tributaries and improve the health of crops and pastures.

Name: Whitestone Reclamation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,670,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 3,050
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 23  
Goal for New Contract Acres: 550 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2011), SWEP (2017)
Complemented Project Type: piping, pivots, power
Reclamation Funding: $455,236

The Whitestone Reclamation District (WRD) in Okanogan County, Washington used two Reclamation WaterSMART grants to reduce water loss from seepage and evaporation by lining canals or replacing them with pipe which further allowed increased efficiency from pressurizing the system. The improvements resulted in saving at least 331 acre-feet of water per year from needing to be withdrawn from Toats Coulee Creek. The Okanogan Conservation District will work with the WRD using NRCS tools to measure and help monitor flow rates before and after the upgrades and estimate benefits to the fish, wildlife, and wetlands in the area. Outreach activities include efforts to reach Hispanic owners and or operators in the area. With additional NRCS assistance, more sections of the aging canal and other infrastructure may be lined with concrete, piped, or upgraded and farmers will be able to improve irrigation water management for fruit trees, hay, and pasture. In addition to the water savings and drought resiliency benefits, EQIP funds will help improve energy use efficiency and crop productivity and health.
 

Wyoming

Name: Bitter Coon Trail 2026 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $16,500,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 9,685
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 95 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 9,690
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: CWMP (2019)  
Complemented Project Type: watershed planning 
Reclamation Funding: $100,000

The Powell Clarks Fork Conservation District in Park County, Wyoming used a Reclamation WaterSMART grant in the Cooperative Watershed Management Program planning category to develop a watershed plan which addresses sediment contributions to the Shoshone River from Sage Creek, Sulphur Creek, and a portion of the river mainstem. The resource concerns that were identified in the plan as contributing sediment and inefficient irrigation water use are applicable to the entire Shoshone River at the HUC level 8 watershed scale. With additional NRCS assistance, producers in this broader area can better manage naturally available soil moisture, inefficient irrigation water use, and surface water depletion to improve crop productivity and health in the area, reduce sediment and nutrient transport to river, and improve aquatic habitat and water temperature.  

Name: Sidon Irrigation District Westland Lateral Rehab 
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,900,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,343
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2026 to 2030
Goal for New Contracts: 19 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 1,075
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2024)
Complemented Project Type: canal to pipeline conversion 
Reclamation Funding: $863,000

The Sidon Irrigation District used a Reclamation WaterSMART grant in the Water and Energy Efficiency Grant category to rehabilitate the Westend Lateral in Big Horn County, Wyoming by converting 33,000 feet of earthen laterals to buried polyvinyl chloride pipeline. The project is expected to result in annual water savings of 10,349 acre-feet, which will increase the reliability of the water supply, reduce curtailments for downstream users during periods of low water availability, as well as reduce bank erosion and sediment transported to surface waters. With additional NRCS assistance, producers in the area will improve irrigation systems and livestock watering on their operations resulting in more water and less sediment for other water users downstream.  

Name: Heart Mountain Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $2,240,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 36,600
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 28 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,240 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2018)
Complemented Project Type: infrastructure
Reclamation Funding: $300,000

The Heart Mountain Irrigation District in Park County, Wyoming used Reclamation WaterSMART funds to replace 637 feet of existing, aging liner along the Rattlesnake Canal. The project is expected to conserve 211 acre-feet of water supplied from the Shoshone River and is currently lost to seepage and breaches. With additional NRCS assistance, crop and livestock farmers will be able to improve irrigation water management systems by converting flood irrigation to sprinklers, installing new pumps, flow meters, replacing dirt ditches with buried pipes, and other surface and subsurface irrigation components. An estimate of 2,000 to 6,000 acre-feet of additional water may be saved. In addition to the water savings and drought resiliency benefits, EQIP funds help reduce concentrated flow erosion, improve soil health, and reduce sediment, nutrient, and pathogen losses loads.

Name: Lovell Irrigation District
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,275,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 2,400
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2022 to 2026
Goal for New Contracts: 17 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 2,550 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: WEEG (2019)
Complemented Project Type: canal piping
Reclamation Funding: $300,000

The Lovell Irrigation District in Big Horn County, Wyoming is using Reclamation WaterSMART funds to convert 8,750 feet of the earthen Moncur Lateral to buried polyvinyl chloride pipeline, to address seepage and evaporation losses. The project is expected to result in annual water savings of 1,554 acre-feet, which will be used primarily to increase the reliability of water supply from the Shoshone River and to reduce curtailments for downstream users during shortage periods. With additional NRCS assistance, crop and livestock producers will be able to improve irrigation water management and monitoring systems, reduce seepage loss, sediment transport, and gully or bank erosion in canals. In addition to the water savings and drought resiliency benefits, EQIP funds help improve crop productivity and health.

Name: Upper Bluff Canal
Budgeted EQIP Funding: $1,350,000 
Priority Area Extent in Acres: 1,500
Project Budget Period: Fiscal Years 2025 to 2029 
Goal for New Contracts: 18 
Goal for New Contract Acres: 650 
Reclamation WaterSMART Funding Opportunities: SWEP (2018)
Complemented Project Type: infrastructure modernization
Reclamation Funding: $75,000

The Upper Bluff Irrigation District located in Washakie County, Wyoming, operates the Upper Bluff Canal in the Worland area of the Bighorn River Basin. The district used a Small-Scale Water Efficiency WaterSMART grant to upgrade two existing split case centrifugal pumps to modern variable frequency drive pumps with programmable water level sensors to modulate and adjust water flows based on demand. These upgrades allow savings of water and energy and reduce spills from the canal. Water is withdrawn from the Bighorn River and delivered via the canal to irrigate about 1500 acres of mainly cropland (sugar beets, barley, corn, hay). The water left in the canal is then returned to the river, currently a 303(d) listed stream. With additional NRCS assistance, producers along this canal can improve irrigation efficiency by upgrading irrigation systems and conveyance lines. EQIP funding and technical assistance is available to help install center pivot systems, gated pipe systems, water control structures, buried irrigation pipelines, etc. Implementing these practices will not only increase irrigation efficiency but it also will decrease soil erosion and sediment transport to the river. 
 

Acronyms for Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Programs

CWMP = Cooperative Watershed Management Program
DRP = Drought Response Program
EWRP = Environmental Water Resources Projects 
PPD = Planning and Project Design
SWEP = Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects
Title XVI = Water Reclamation and Reuse
WCFSP = Water Conservation Field Services Program
WEEG = Water and Energy Efficiency Grants
WMSG = Water Marketing Strategy Grants

Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Links

• Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART   
• Water and Energy Efficiency Grants
• Water Marketing Strategy Grants  
• Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects  
• Environmental Water Resources Projects
• Title XVI   
• Desalination
• Basin Studies   
• Baseline Assessments   
• Reservoir Operation Pilots  
• Applied Science Grants  
• Cooperative Watershed Management Program
• Drought Program
• Water Conservation Field Services Program