The Biden administration announced a new round of funding on Wednesday for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with California receiving the bulk of the money. Many of the projects have been stalled or delayed due to a lack of funds.
The Interior Department is committing $585 million for 83 water infrastructure projects in 11 states. Of that, California will receive about $300 million for two dozen projects. The largest allocation, $66 million, will refurbish a fish hatchery along the Trinity River.
Other funding will help to fix subsidence issues along portions of the Central Valley Project. This will reduce the amount of water that seeps through cracks and restore the conveyance capacity for canals. The Delta-Mendota Canal, for one, will see a 20% boost in capacity.
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According to Commissioner Camille Touton, the Bureau of Reclamation identified the projects through a rigorous process. She said the upgrades will “ensure that we can continue to provide clean, reliable water to communities, irrigators and ecosystems” in the face of climate change.
EPA is also allocating $391 million for drinking water systems in California through the infrastructure package.
