Inflation Reduction Act investment to provide up to 260,000 acre-feet of groundwater savings and 75,000 acre-feet of surface water savings
Commissioner Touton at Milner Dam making the announcement on the funding to strengthen drought resilience in Idaho.
MILNER DAM, Idaho - The Bureau of Reclamation today announced a $2 million investment through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to strengthen drought resilience in the Eastern Snake Plains Aquifer in Idaho.
The Eastern Snake Plains Aquifer, covering approximately 10,800 square miles of Idaho is a critical resource for southern Idaho’s economy. The region produces approximately 21% of all goods and services within the state of Idaho and the aquifer provides irrigation water for around one million acres.
Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton made the announcement today during a visit to Milner Dam. The project being funded will provide real-time information on both surface water and groundwater diversions, enabling more effective and efficient management of limited water supplies during periods of drought.
“This funding to the Idaho Water Resources Board will continue Reclamation’s support of aquifer stabilization in this area impacted by historic drought,” said Commissioner Touton. “Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, we have new historic resources to implement drought resilience projects like this that will safeguard our water supplies and restore local ecosystems for future generations.”
Project funding will be used to automate measurements and allow for remote water management to discharge water, benefitting fish, the broader ecosystem and increasing water quality in the area. At completion, the program is expected to enable the expansion of conservation efforts providing up to 260,000 acre-feet of groundwater savings and 75,000 acre-feet of surface water.
The Biden-Harris administration previously announced funding from the Investing in America agenda for 36 water projects in Idaho totaling more than $60 million. Most of the projects funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are either through the WaterSMART program or are for extraordinary maintenance in the region.
