New USDA Investments Vital to Innovative Western Water Conservation Efforts

(Phoenix, AZ - August, 2024) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announced it will invest $400 million in at least 18 irrigation districts to help farmers conserve water while continuing critical agricultural production. An additional $40 million in funding is established for programs with federally recognized indigenous Tribal communities.

"USDA's water conservation investments are a welcome show of support for western communities facing the region's driest stretch in a 1000 years," said Kevin Moran, Associate Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund. "Long-term drought is the new reality for farmers, communities, and ecosystems across the West. This funding will help support irrigation districts who are adapting to aridity with innovative and necessary water conservation efforts. The Tribal set-aside is a particularly crucial component and we look forward to learning how the funding will be used to meet specific Tribal needs. The scale of increasing water scarcity in the region means further support for water savings will be necessary, but this is a welcome and much-needed step towards stabilizing and securing a resilient water future for the American West."