DOI Announces Up to $670.2 Million in IRA Funds for Conservation Agreements Across California and Arizona

On March 5, 2024, DOI announced three new System Conservation Implementation Agreements in California that will conserve water in Lake Mead, including agreements with the Bard Water District in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water District, the Coachella Valley Water District, and the Palo Verde Irrigation District in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water District. Up to $670.2 million in IRA funds will go towards 24 conservation agreements across California and Arizona, which are expected to conserve up to 1.58 million acre feet of water through 2026. The announcement came alongside DOI’s publication of a final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement concerning an update to the interim operating guidelines to address the ongoing drought and impacts from the climate crisis for the near-term operation of Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams.