Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Program: Environmental Water Resources Projects

WaterSMART’s Environmental Water Resources Projects provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and is aligned with other priorities such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Environmental Water Resources Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.

WaterSMART’s Environmental Water Resources Projects provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and is aligned with other priorities such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Environmental Water Resources Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.

Category A applicants: States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, and water districts; State, regional, or local authorities, the members of which include one or more organizations with water or power delivery authority; and other organizations with water or power delivery authority.
All applicants must be located in one of the following States or territories: 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.

Category B applicants: Non-profit conservation organizations, including watershed groups as defined in the Cooperative Watershed Management Act, Section 6001, that are acting in partnership with, and with the agreement of, an entity described in Category A. Category B applicants must include with their application a letter from the Category A partner stating that the Category A partner: (1) is acting in partnership with the applicant, (2) agrees to the submittal and content of the application, and (3) intends to participate in the project in some way, for example, by providing input, feedback, or other support for the project.

All Category B applicants must be in the United States or the territories identified above, and the Category A partner must be located in one of the following States or territories: 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.

Category C applicants: Non-profit conservation organizations submitting an application for a project to improve the condition of a natural feature, such as wetlands on Federal land, without a Category A partner must demonstrate that entities described in Category A from the applicable service area have been notified and do not object to the project.

All Category C applicants must be in the United States, or the specific territories identified above.

WaterSMART’s Environmental Water Resources Projects provide support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and is aligned with other priorities such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Environmental Water Resources Projects also support the goals of the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group established in March 2021 and the National Drought Resiliency Partnership.