DWR Invests in Groundwater Recharge Efforts in Yolo County

As part of ongoing efforts to invest in water resilience programs in communities across California, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) celebrated a $7.9 million grant awarded to the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency to support groundwater recharge, sustainability planning, and water management.

Funded by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program, the award will support five projects benefiting underserved communities and Tribes in the region. As a result, the projects will help with groundwater sustainability planning, understanding water supplies, and support three groundwater recharge programs. The three recharge projects will divert winter storm flows into underground storage while also creating habitat for shorebirds and addressing goals in Governor Newsom’s Adapting to a Hotter and Drier Water Supply Strategy.

“Nurturing partnerships with our local agencies is the cornerstone of building resilient communities and sustainably managing groundwater resources. While funding plays a significant role, it is the collaborative relationship and collective responsibility as California’s water managers that will ultimately drive innovative solutions like these projects we’re funding today,” said Matthew Bates, assistant manager of the Division of Regional Assistance at DWR.

For the local groundwater agency, this funding will help implement strategies that further groundwater sustainability and resourceful water management.

“After almost eight years of coordination and planning, we are thrilled for the opportunity to complete mutually beneficial projects,” said Kristin Sicke, executive officer for the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency. This funding will kickstart initiatives to expand our monitoring network, optimize conjunctive use via recharging excess winter flows, and advance conveyance opportunities. We are grateful to DWR for the financial assistance to continue our work towards groundwater sustainability in the Yolo Subbasin.”

These projects are just a handful of the 103 projects that received funding earlier this year from the Sustainable Groundwater Management Grant Program. In addition to providing critical grant funding to support implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the grant program offers assistance through the Underrepresented Community Technical Assistance program.

The funding is also one the many projects included under DWR’s new Go Golden Initiative. The initiative highlights the partnership between the State of California and local organizations and water agencies to fund bold and innovative projects that strengthen California’s water infrastructure and community resilience. Interested parties can stay up to date with the latest “Go Golden” announcements and news through DWR’s email subscription list.

For more information about upcoming grant opportunities, visit DWR’s Grants and Loans webpage.