Aug. 14 (UPI) — The Biden administration announced on Monday a $50 million plan over five years to improve key water infrastructure in the upper Colorado River basin and improve drought-related data collection in the critically important waterway.
The Bureau of Reclamation will make an initial $8.7 million investment this fiscal year to support drought mitigation efforts in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
That will help ensure compliance with interstate water compact obligations, maintain the ability to generate hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam, and minimize adverse effects to resources and infrastructure in the Upper Basin.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation’s history and is providing much-needed resources to enhance Western communities’ resilience to drought and climate change, including protecting the short- and long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System,” the White House said in a statement.
The administration said the new investment into the Colorado River basin represents Biden’s “all-of-government approach” to the challenges facing the river and the communities that depend on the river as climate change and drought change the region.
“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to bringing every tool and every resource to bear to as we work with states, Tribes, and communities throughout the West to find long-term solutions in the face of climate change and the sustained drought it is creating,” Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said.
“As we look toward the next decade of Colorado River guidelines and strategies, we are simultaneously making smart investments now that will make our path forward stronger and more sustainable.”
The White House plan comes nearly three months after Arizona, California and Nevada reached a breakthrough conservation deal to preserve the future of the river system. The states committed to conserving at least 3 million-acre-feet of river system water through the end of 2026.
