The agua caliente band of cahuilla indians, located in riverside county, california, will develop a strategic plan to augment water supplies in the coachella valley and ensure long term water supply…

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians received a $295,152 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) program (CFDA 15.507) on June 5, 2025, with completion targeted for March 31, 2027. The primary deliverable is a comprehensive strategic water supply plan for the Coachella Valley that addresses long-term water supply reliability challenges exacerbated by ongoing drought conditions and declining groundwater levels.

The project scope includes stakeholder outreach to local, regional, state, and other water management organizations; analysis of future water supply needs and constraints; risk assessment of existing water importation activities; comparative evaluation and prioritization of alternative water supply options; and development of an implementation plan for water supply enhancement projects. This planning effort directly supports the Coachella Valley Regional Water Management Group and Riverside County in addressing the region's dependence on imported water supplies and the groundwater basin replenishment challenges facing the tribe and local water districts. The award is being executed at the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation in Palm Springs, California.

The agua caliente band of cahuilla indians, located in riverside county, california, will develop a strategic plan to augment water supplies in the coachella valley and ensure long term water supply reliability. The tribe and water districts in the valley rely on imported water supplies for direct use and replenishment of the groundwater basin and ongoing drought conditions have reduced their ability to import water from existing sources and increased pumping has caused a significant decline in groundwater levels. The tribe will conduct outreach to local, regional, state, and other water providers and water management organizations, analyze future water supply needs and constraints, evaluate the risks that impact existing water importation activities, compare and prioritize water supply alternatives, and develop and implementation plan for additional water supply enhancement projects. This effort is supported by the coachella valley regional water management group and riverside county.