Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58, established the Small Water Storage and Groundwater Grant Program to enhance water storage opportunities. It provides up to the lesser of 25 percent, or $30 million, for the cost of plann

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58, established the Small Water Storage and Groundwater Grant Program to enhance water storage opportunities. It provides up to the lesser of 25 percent, or $30 million, for the cost of planning, design, and construction of small water storage projects that, when implemented, will increase water supply reliability, improve operational flexibility, and enhance resiliency of water and related infrastructure throughout the 17 western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Eligible recipients of the Small Storage Program funding are identified under the 1902 Act and include State, regional, or local authorities; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; or other entities such as a water conservation or conservancy district, wastewater district, rural water district, located in the 17 western United States (Reclamation State) as identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended or Alaska or Hawaii.

State, Local, Other public institution/organization, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Native American Organizations.

Reclamation's Small Storage Program provides cost-shared funding on a competitive basis for the planning, design, and construction of small surface water and groundwater storage projects.

See funding opportunity for details.

To be eligible to receive funding for construction activities, a small surface water storage or groundwater storage project must meet the minimum eligibility requirements of section 40903 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which is commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This includes a finding that the feasibility study meets the requirements of the IIJA and Temporary Reclamation Manual Release (TRMR), Small Surface Water and Groundwater Storage Projects Feasibility Study Review Process (CMP TRMR-127).

Reclamation shall give priority to projects that meet one or more of the following criteria: 1) likely to provide a more reliable water supply for States, Indian Tribes, and local governments, including subdivisions of those entities; (2) likely to increase water management flexibility and reduce impacts on environmental resources from projects operated by Federal and State agencies; (3) regional in nature; (4) benefit multiple stakeholders; and (5) provide multiple benefits, including water supply reliability, ecosystem benefits, groundwater management and enhancements, and water quality improvements.

Proposals received in response to the funding opportunity are reviewed on the basis of a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the funding opportunity. Reclamation will make awards to the highest rated proposals based on the amount of funding available each year and in consideration of the relative score of each proposal.

Applications must be submitted by April 17, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., MDT.

The review, scoring and announcement of the recipients typically take three to five months.

Continuation of funding from one fiscal year to the next to complete a project is contingent on the final Federal appropriations.

None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award.