Costa Applauds $35 Million for South Valley Water Infrastructure Projects
FRESNO, Calif. - Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) released the following statement after the Bureau of Reclamation announced $25 million for the Kern Fan Groundwater Recharge Project and over $9 million for the Tulare Irrigation District’s Seaborn Reservoir as part of the Small Storage Program.
“Water is the lifeblood of the San Joaquin Valley, and we need to capture and store every drop we can,” said Congressman Costa.“I’ve fought for investments in the Kern Fan Groundwater Recharge Project and Seaborn Reservoir because these are the kinds of projects that will strengthen our water supply, recharge our groundwater, and provide greater certainty for our farmers and communities. Kern Fan helped inspire my Every Drop Counts Act because we know what works in the Valley. This $35 million federal investment will help us put those solutions to work and build a more reliable water future for the San Joaquin Valley.”
BACKGROUND:
The Bureau of Reclamation announced $25 million in federal funding for the Kern Fan Groundwater Recharge Project and $9,279,859 for the Tulare Irrigation District’s Seaborn Reservoir Project.
Congressman Costa has been a vocal advocate for both projects and for strengthening water infrastructure in the San Joaquin Valley. Congressman Costa’s legislation, Every Drop Counts Act, was based on the Kern Fan Groundwater Recharge Project.
The Kern Fan Groundwater Recharge Project will enhance groundwater recharge efforts by developing a new 26,000-acre-foot regional water bank, in addition to adding 375 cubic-feet-per-second of conveyance capacity. This project aims to construct three recovery wells and utilize nearly 1,000 acres of existing recharge and groundwater storage facilities. By capturing water when supply is abundant, this project helps to provide certainty for our farmers, ranchers, and dairymen and women.
The Seaborn Reservoir Project will repurpose a former mining operation into a 7,000-acre-foot reservoir to store Kaweah River water. The project will support flood control for downstream communities and agricultural land, improve groundwater recharge, increase Central Valley Project federal water availability, and help offset groundwater use to support SGMA sustainability. The project will also restore native habitat, provide recreation and environmental education opportunities, and contribute to drinking water supply improvements for neighboring communities, including disadvantaged communities.