The Trump administration announced it will spend $540 million on water infrastructure projects in California, much of it to repair aging and sinking canals in the Central Valley.
The largest share, $235 million, will be used to rehabilitate the Delta-Mendota Canal, which carries water to farmlands. An additional $200 million will help continue repairs on the Friant-Kern Canal, another key conduit for water in the valley.
Sinking ground, an effect of heavy groundwater pumping, has damaged segments of the Friant-Kern Canal and reduced its capacity.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said in the announcement Tuesday that the investments, together with nearly $350 million for water projects in other western states, “strengthen our nation’s water security, modernize aging infrastructure and support the farmers, communities and industries that depend on reliable water supplies.”
California water agencies praised the announcement, saying the funding will improve the water system.
The Interior Department said it also will spend $40 million to support planning and preconstruction work on a project to raise the height of Shasta Dam — a proposal that growers and water agencies have supported.
Allison Febbo, general manager of Westlands Water District, said the plan to enlarge Shasta Dam “represents an important step toward advancing a long-overdue investment in water supply reliability.”
Shasta Lake, part of the federally managed Central Valley Project, is California’s largest manmade reservoir. The plan to raise the dam and expand the reservoir has been opposed by tribes and environmental groups.
