WaterSMART: System Optimization Review Grants

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Click on the “Full Announcement” button near the top of this Synopsis page to access the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) document. The objective of this FOA is to invite States, Indian Tribes, irrigation districts, water districts and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on projects for System Optimization Reviews (SOR). SORs consist of (1) an assessment of the potential for water management improvements in a river basin, system, or district, and (2) a report identifying specific improvements to increase efficiency, including a plan of action for implementing the recommendations. SORs are intended to focus on improving efficiency throughout a system, district, river basin, or a portion thereof, but not on a single structure such as improving one headgate or lining one ditch. SORs are intended to take a broad look at system-wide efficiency, and they are not focused on single project-specific planning. Accordingly, SOR funding may not be applied to the cost of design, engineering, or construction of a particular recommended project. The scope of each SOR will vary, depending on the stage of the planning process being addressed. Some applicants may wish to perform a comprehensive analysis that takes into consideration all options for improving water management and results in recommendations for the best approach. In districts which have already done comprehensive planning, applicants may wish to update an earlier plan by focusing the SOR on a particular aspect of system improvement, such as water marketing or automation, and determining the best approach to implement the improvements. It is estimated that between 4 and 8 projects will awarded with a Federal funding share of up to $300,000. Applicants must provide a cost share of 50% or more of the total project cost.

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