The purpose of this grant request to the bureau of reclamations native american affairs: technical assistance to tribes (FY23) is to implement climate-smart irrigation technology on the rosebud…

This $398,895 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Indian Tribal Water Resources Development, Management, and Protection program (CFDA 15.519) will enable the Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO), the economic development arm of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, to implement climate-smart irrigation technology on 1,400 acres of certified organic farmland on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.

Specifically, the grant funding will be used to purchase two new irrigation pivots and conduct in-depth monitoring of water usage, soil moisture, and crop health. The new pivots will be compared to the existing 13 aging pivots to demonstrate the resource stewardship and cost benefits of investing in modern, climate-smart water infrastructure. The findings from this project will be shared with local ranchers and agricultural leaders to promote the adoption of highly efficient irrigation technology within the community.

The purpose of this grant request to the bureau of reclamations native american affairs: technical assistance to tribes (FY23) is to implement climate-smart irrigation technology on the rosebud reservation. The rosebud reservation, located in southcentral south dakota, is home to the sicangu lakota oyate recognized federally as the rosebud sioux tribe. The rosebud economic development corporation (redco), the wholly-owned arm and instrumentality of the tribe is the applicant for this grant. Redco manages 1,400 acres of certified organic farmland under pivot irrigation, which includes 13 aging pivots in 13 fields. Earlier in 2022, the consequences of utilizing decrepit equipment were felt when a pivot began leaking and ultimately broke, resulting in a minimum of $60,000 of crops lost. Additionally, a new crop could not be planted resulting in exposed soil, erosion, and evapotranspiration which continues to this day. With this grant, redco will purchase two new irrigation pivots and conduct in-depth monitoring of water usage, soil moisture, and crop health. These two new pivots will be compared to existing pivots to illustrate the value both from a resource stewardship and cost standpoint of investing in new, climate-smart water infrastructure. These findings will be shared with local ranchers and agricultural leaders to increase the adoption of highly efficient technology.