Funding Announcement No. R11SF80344
Water is our most precious natural resource, and is increasingly stressed by the demands our society places on it. Adequate water supplies are an essential element in human survival, ecosystem health, energy production, and economic sustainability. Water shortage and water-use conflicts have become more commonplace in many areas of the United States, even in normal water years. As competition for water resources grows—for irrigation of crops, growing cities and communities, energy production, and the environment—the need for information and tools to aid water resource managers also grows. Water issues and challenges are increasing across the Nation, but particularly in the West.
Aggressive action is required to address future water supply challenges, including degradation in water quality caused by pollution and land use practices, decreases in flow, declines in groundwater levels, and aging infrastructure. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of various DOI bureaus and offices. Through the program, DOI is working to achieve a sustainable water strategy to meet the Nation’s water needs. Through WaterSMART Grants to Develop Climate Analysis Tools, Reclamation provides cost-shared funding on a competitive basis for research activities that are designed to enhance the management of water resources in a changing climate.