Assist the recipient in developing and implementing drought response programs that help to align water supplies and demand for irrigation water users associated with the klamath project

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $9.2 million to the Klamath Project Drought Response Agency on September 19, 2025, through the Upper Klamath Basin Water Supply Alignment program (CFDA 15.566) to develop and implement drought response programs that align water supplies with demand for irrigation water users in the Klamath Project. The award, which extends through December 31, 2030, supports three primary program components: a groundwater substitution and supplementation program that contracts with irrigation well owners to provide supplemental water for project lands; an assistance program providing per-acre payments to compensate irrigators for reducing irrigation demand; and a domestic and municipal well mitigation program designed to reduce conflicts between agricultural and domestic groundwater use by restoring impacted well functionality.

These coordinated drought response initiatives directly benefit over 1,000 family farms in the Klamath Project region while providing the Bureau of Reclamation with greater operational flexibility in managing water resources for irrigation water users, fish and wildlife including Endangered Species Act-listed species, and tribal interests. By improving alignment between water supply and demand through conservation measures, land idling, and groundwater utilization, the programs mitigate the economic impacts of water shortages on agricultural producers while supporting broader resource management objectives across the upper Klamath Basin.

Purpose

The purpose of this agreement is to assist the recipient in developing and implementing drought response programs that help to align water supplies and demand for irrigation water users associated with the klamath project. When water supplies and demand are better aligned, reclamation experiences greater flexibility in managing available water supplies on behalf of klamath project water users, fish and wildlife including endangered species act listed species, and tribal interests.

Activities

Groundwater substitution and supplementation program the recipient contracted with the owners of irrigation wells in the project to produce water for irrigation of land in the project.assistance program no irrigation waterthe intent of the program was to pay an amount per acre based on the number of acres enrolled in the program and the funds available to be distributed. Domestic and municipal well mitigationthe goal of this program was to reduce conflicts between agricultural and domestic uses of the groundwater resource by providing funds to restore the proper function of impacted wells. Projected deliverables or outcomes: the development and implementation of programs including conservation and efficiency measures, land idling, and use of groundwater to align water supplies and demand for irrigation water users associated with the klamath project intended beneficiaries:when water supplies and demand are better aligned, reclamation experiences greater flexibility in managing available water supplies on behalf of klamath project water users, fish and wildlife including endangered species act listed species, and tribal interests. Additionally, drought response programs that compensate project water contractors for reducing their demand for project water may reduce the economic impact of project water shortages by helping irrigators who might otherwise be forced to forego part or all of their anticipated farming income meet their financial obligations and survive to farm in a future year of greater project water availability.