Recently, The Bureau of Reclamation disclosed the selection of two projects in California, United States (U.S.) to receive US$1.5 million in CALFED Water Use Efficiency grants for the fiscal year 2017. When combined with local cost-share contributions, these projects are expected to bring about US$6.9 million in water management improvements over the next two years.
The projects will conserve an estimated 733 acre-feet (904 megalitres) of water annually, which will, in turn, contribute to the CALFED Bay-Delta Programme objectives of improving the health of the ecosystem, reliability of water supply, as well as water quality. California and federal agencies are partners in the 30-year programme, which will last from 2000 to 2030.
The Bureau made the selection through a competitive process, giving priority to projects that address CALFED goals on a state-wide basis.
The Santa Margarita Water District will receive US$750,000. The existing 3A Water Reclamation Plant will be expanded to provide up to 3,000 acre-feet (3,700 megalitres) of recycled water a year along with energy savings. Annual water savings will be 390 acre-feet (481 megalitres) per year, and lifetime water savings will be 19,500 acre-feet (24,052.8 megalitres).
Similarly, the Semitropic Water Storage District will receive US$750,000. The district will install a 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometre) long, 30 cubic feet per second, 36-inch (91.4 centimetre) diameter, bi-directional, intertie pipeline. The intertie pipeline will allow the conveyance of surface water supplies to spreading ground facilities located in Semitropic and the adjacent Shafter-Wasco Irrigation District to be more efficient. Annual water savings will be 343 acre-feet (423 megalitres) per year, and lifetime water savings will be 17,000 acre-feet (20,969 megalitres).
