The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing US$400 million with at least 18 irrigation districts to help U.S. farmers continue commodity production while also conserving water across the western part of the country.

The funding aims to support irrigation districts and producers in using innovative water savings technologies and farming practices while producing water-saving commodities. It is expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production, while expanding and creating new, sustainable market opportunities.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation announced in May 2024 it had staved off the immediate possibility of the Colorado River System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production. Due to conservation investments as well as improved hydrology, Lake Mead levels today are the highest since May 2021. The Administration is now working to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience by focusing on long-term water conservation in several basins across the west.

Partnering with irrigation districts
USDA worked to select irrigation districts based on several commodity production and water management-related criteria in order to maximize the ability to achieve program objectives, leveraging available data from the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation to ensure close alignment and partnership. USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) provided data and analysis to support the preliminary selections.

The preliminary selected districts may receive up to $15 million each in the awards and will enter into sub-agreements with the producers participating within the district. Depending on available funding, awards to additional districts may be possible.

Producers who participate will receive payments for voluntarily reducing water consumption while maintaining commodity production. The needs of producers will determine the specific strategies for water conservation, including irrigation improvements, shifts in management practices, shifts in cropping systems, and other strategies. Participating producers and irrigation districts will commit to ensuring continued commodity production in the areas where water consumption is reduced.

Investing in water conservation in Tribal communities and acequias
USDA is also announcing a Tribal set-aside within the program, targeting up to $40 million in funding for additional awards within Indian Country. USDA will work with the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Tribes, and Tribal producers to reduce water consumption and maintain land in agricultural production.

In addition, USDA will include targeted assistance to support water-saving commodity production for acequias, recognizing that many irrigators in the southwest are formed under the community-based acequia model instead of the irrigation district model.