The shafter-wasco irrigation district (swid) in kern county, california will construct a 112-acre groundwater recharge facility that will store uncontrolled flood water from the kern river and the…

The Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District (SWID) in Kern County, California was awarded a $8,487,181 Project Grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief (CFDA 15.514) program on December 31, 2024. This funding will support the construction of a 112-acre groundwater recharge facility that will store uncontrolled flood water from the Kern River and Central Valley Project for later beneficial use. The project is expected to be completed by April 30, 2027 and will increase SWID's total annual average water supply by 18.7%, or 7,726 acre-feet, helping to enhance the district's drought resiliency and increase access to groundwater supplies. This award aligns with SWID's focus on sustainable water management and conjunctive use measures, as well as the drought mitigation strategies outlined in the Poso Creek Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.

The shafter-wasco irrigation district (swid) in kern county, california will construct a 112-acre groundwater recharge facility that will store uncontrolled flood water from the kern river and the central valley project for later beneficial use to offset water shortages during dry years. Swid utilizes conjunctive use measures to ensure long-term sustainability for water users. This project will directly help with swids drought resiliency and help increase access to groundwater supplies by providing an additional 7,726-acre feet per year, representing a 18.7% increase in the total annual average water supply. The project is supported by the poso creek integrated regional water management (irwm) region drought contingency plan that was developed with assistance from a watersmart (sustain and manage america s resources for tomorrow) drought contingency planning grant.