WaterSMART Drought Response Program

The Drought Response Program provides cost-shared financial assistance for entities to develop or update comprehensive drought contingency plans that include drought monitoring, vulnerability assessments, mitigation and response actions, an operation

Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and other entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply and hydropower reliability. The WaterSMART Drought Response Program invites eligible applicants to submit proposals for projects designed to improve drought resilience by developing effective water management strategies and drought contingency plans. Funding under the Drought Response Program supports a range of initiatives including infrastructure improvements for increased water storage and distribution capabilities, water source diversification, decision-making tools for water management, and comprehensive planning to prepare for and respond to drought conditions.

Drought contingency planning: States, Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Utah, Washington, America Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drought Resiliency Projects: States, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or local authorities whose members include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority, as well as Nonprofit conservation organizations if they are acting in partnership with and with the agreement of an entity described above. Applicants must be located in the Western United States or United States Territories, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico.

General public, entities with water or power delivery authority, including state, county, local governmental entities, and Tribes, and nonprofit conservation groups, located in eligible states and territories previously described in applicant eligibility.

Any projects or project elements that are part of a water desalination or recycling project eligible for funding under Section 4009(a) or 4009(c) of the WIIN Act, P.L. 114-322 are not eligible for funding under this NOFO. In addition, if a water desalination, reclamation, or recycling project has a total estimated project cost of more than $20 million, that project is not eligible under this NOFO and should be pursued under the Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program or the WaterSMART Desalination Planning and Construction Program. Funding of a small surface or groundwater storage project (including groundwater recharge, injection wells, and aquifer storage and recovery wells) with a total estimated project cost of more than $10 million, or that is a phase of a larger project that exceeds $10 million, is not eligible under this NOFO. Applicants proposing such projects may wish to consider Reclamation's Small Storage Program.

None. Preapplication coordination is not required but is highly encouraged. Potential applicants can contact Reclamation program staff to discuss their project. Contact information can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart. Projects funded under this program are subject to environmental and cultural resource compliance. The level of compliance for projects funded under this program will vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project being funded. Environmental and cultural resource compliance is required before the commencement of project activities.

Criteria are specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. For more information, see https://www.usbr.gov./watersmart.

Proposals received in response to the funding opportunity are reviewed through a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the merit review criteria and on the objectives of the funding opportunity. The review of applications will follow the requirements of E.O. 14332, such as ensuring policy review by senior appointees, and that selections demonstrably advance the President's policy priorities consistent with applicable law.

See Reclamation's WaterSMART website https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/ for schedule information.