Project Grant R22AP00259

THROUGH WATERSMART (SUSTAIN AND MANAGE AMERICA'S RESOURCES FOR TOMORROW), RECLAMATION LEVERAGES FEDERAL AND NON-FEDERAL FUNDING TO WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH STATES, TRIBES, AND LOCAL ENTITIES AS THEY PLAN FOR AND IMPLEMENT ACTIONS TO INCREASE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY THROUGH INVESTMENTS AND ATTENTION TO LOCAL WATER CONFLICTS.RECLAMATION'S WATERSMART DROUGHT RESPONSE PROGRAM SUPPORTS A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO DROUGHT BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO WATER MANAGERS TO DEVELOP AND UPDATE COMPREHENSIVE DROUGHT PLANS (DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANNING) AND IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THAT WILL BUILD LONG-TERM RESILIENCY TO DROUGHT (DROUGHT RESILIENCY PROJECTS). THROUGH THE DROUGHT RESPONSE PROGRAM, RECLAMATION INVITES STATES, TRIBES, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, WATER DISTRICTS, ORGANIZATIONS WITH WATER OR POWER DELIVERY AUTHORITY, AND NON-PROFIT CONSERVATION GROUPS TO LEVERAGE THEIR MONEY AND RESOURCES BY COST SHARING WITH RECLAMATION ON DROUGHT RESILIENCY PROJECTS THAT WILL INCREASE THE RELIABILITY OF WATER SUPPLIES; IMPROVE WATER MANAGEMENT; AND PROVIDE DROUGHT RESILIENCY.THE RECIPIENT, LOCATED IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA, OPERATES THE UPPER VALLE DE LOS CABALLOS RECHARGE FACILITY THAT CONSISTS OF 115 ACRES AND FIVE RECHARGE PONDS. THE RECHARGE FACILITY ALLOWS THE RECIPIENT TO RECHARGE SURPLUS SURFACE WATER SUPPLIES FOR LATER BENEFICIAL USE. THE RECIPIENT WILL CONSTRUCT WELL #173, IMMEDIATELY DOWN-GRADIENT FROM EXISTING RECHARGE FACILITIES, ENABLING THE DISTRICT TO RECOVER UP TO 1,200 ACRE-FEET OF WATER A YEAR OF PREVIOUSLY STORED WATER. THE EXTRACTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE PREVIOUSLY STORED WATER WILL INCREASE THE OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY OF THE RECIPIENT'S LOCAL SUPPLIES, DECREASE THE RECIPIENT'S DEPENDENCE ON DROUGHT-STRICKEN IMPORTED SUPPLIES, AND REDUCE THE THREAT OF WATER SHORTAGE IMPACTS. LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE RECIPIENT IS IN AN AREA OF MODERATE DROUGHT AND OFTEN EXPERIENCES IMPORTED SURFACE WATER SUPPLY SHORTAGES. THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE UPPER SANTA MARGARITA WATERSHED'S INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN GOALS OF DIVERSIFYING WATER SUPPLIES AND MAXIMIZING GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVED DROUGHT RESILIENCY.