Water organizations from Utah, Idaho and Wyoming received $2.7 million in Water 2025 Challenge Grants Oct. 11 at a ceremony held at Mt. Timpanogos Park in Provo, Utah. Reclamation Commissioner Robert Johnson presented 13 grants to 12 recipients in support of innovative projects focused on water conservation, improved efficiency, and water marketing.

"We are pleased to be able to distribute grants to these project sponsors that have helped lead the way in efficient water use," Johnson said. "The Water 2025 Grant Program has yielded positive results for several years thanks to the conservation, efficiency, and marketing efforts of recipients such as these."

During the ceremony, Johnson awarded nearly one-third of this year's Water 2025 Challenge Grants to the following organizations: Bell Canyon Irrigation Co., Payson City; Provo River Water Users Association; Scipio Irrigation Co.; Strawberry High Line Canal Co.; Strawberry Water Users Association; Uintah Indian Irrigation Project;Uintah Water Conservancy District, Utah Lake Distributing Co.; and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, as well as the Winder Lateral Association in Idaho and the Wyoming State Engineer's Office.

"Each of these projects demonstrate local solutions that will collectively help achieve the core goal of the Water 2025 Program, preventing crisis and conflict in the West," Johnson said.

Grants will support a variety of projects including a new water bank utilizing groundwater recharge, the replacement of open canal with pressurized pipe and the installation and upgrade of existing SCADA systems. Combined, the projects will help better manage or save more than 85,000 acre-feet of water in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.

The Bureau of Reclamation administers the Water 2025 Challenge Grant Program. The program provides matching funds to irrigation and water districts, Western states, Tribes and other local entities to develop innovative on-the-ground solutions to water supply problems. Since the inception of Water 2025 in 2004, many collaborative solutions to making more efficient use of existing water supplies have been made possible through the Challenge Grant Program.

More information on Water 2025 is available at: www.doi.gov/water2025/.