The Trump administration announced Tuesday it will spend $540 million on water infrastructure projects in California, much of it to repair aging and sinking canals in the Central Valley.
The largest portion, $235 million, will be used to rehabilitate the Delta-Mendota Canal, which delivers water to farms. An additional $200 million will help continue repairs on the Friant-Kern Canal, another major conduit for water in the valley.
Land sinking due to heavy groundwater pumping Damaged sections of the Friant-Kern Canal And reduced its capacity.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Announcement This investment, along with nearly $350 million for water projects in other Western states, will “strengthen our nation’s water security, modernize aging infrastructure and support farmers, communities and industries that depend on reliable water supplies.”
California water agencies praised the announcement, saying the funding would improve water systems.
The Interior Department said it would also spend $40 million to begin a plan to raise the height of Shasta Dam — a proposal that is appealing to producers and water agencies. have supported.
Alison Fabo, general manager of the Westlands Water District, said the plan to enlarge Shasta Dam “represents an important step forward in making a long-overdue investment in water supply reliability.”
Shasta Lake is the largest man-made reservoir in California, and is part of the federally managed Central Valley Project. The plan to raise the dam and expand the reservoir is being strongly opposed by tribes, fishing advocates and environmental groups.
“The president is very close to a small group of Central Valley producers,” said Barry Nelson, a consultant for the nonprofit group Golden State Salmon Association. “Putting this dam up is for a few hundred rich farmers. It does virtually nothing for California’s urban residents.”
Expanding the reservoir “would be disastrous for salmon,” he said, harming the environment downstream from the dam and impacting the state’s fishing industry.
The Winnemem Wintu tribe has also been fighting against the proposal for years. Gary Mulcahy, the tribe’s government liaison, said the plan to raise the dam 18.5 feet would flood sacred sites.
Mulcahy said it could cost $3 billion to $5 billion, a high price for the additional water it would provide. “It’s a terrible proposal for taxpayers. It’s a terrible proposal for the state.”
The announcement of large sums of money for water projects by the Trump administration is significant but not unprecedented. Biden administration in 2024 announced Nearly $850 million for water infrastructure improvements in western states in 2024. That round of federal funding also included $204 million for repairs to the Delta-Mendota Canal.
Federico Barajas, executive director of the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority, said the additional $235 million will help address land subsidence along the Delta-Mendota Canal and restore its water-carrying capacity for farms and communities.
The money comes from the “Big Beautiful Bill” that President Trump signed last year.
Barajas thanked members of Congress, including Representative David Valadao (R-Hanford) and Representative Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) for pushing for passage of the bill.
