Getting water to his cow-calf operation in Summit County in Utah was a constant challenge for Stephen Kladis. With the open system bringing water from the Peoa South Bench Canal, “We were losing half of our water before it even got to our first turnout,” Kladis said.
In the two years since the canal was converted from an open ditch to a gravity pressurized pipe, Kladis and other agricultural producers are seeing the benefits from increased irrigation efficiency to lower maintenance costs and better production.
The project is one of five completed in Utah through the WaterSMART Initiative (WSI), a joint effort between the Bureau of Reclamation and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The initiative utilizes targeted funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to conserve water in Western states and increase drought resilience. The funding also helps producers apply conservation practices to complement the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART programs.
Four other priority areas in the state have focused on improving water efficiency from the West Cache Canal. Work has converted more than 15 miles of earthen canal to pressurized pipe, installed sprinkler systems to replace flood irrigation, and constructed a centralized pump station to improve water delivery from the Bear River.
“Since the start of this important effort we’ve invested $4 million through EQIP-WSI in Cache, Morgan and Summit counties, assisting 64 producers across more than 4,700 contracted acres to reduce drought stress on crops, protect crop health, and conserve water,” said Emily Fife, NRCS state conservationist for Utah.
Utah is one of 16 states involved in the initiative with a total of 45 priority areas identified and $29.7 million available in EQIP funding. NRCS and the Bureau of Reclamation announced nine new priority areas for fiscal year 2024, including one in Utah budgeted for $700,000 in Cache County. The project will install pressurized pipe, a telemetry system and pump stations.
The collaboration between NRCS and the Bureau of Reclamation is a priority of the National Drought Resilience Partnership. EQIP funding from NRCS helps producers apply conservation practices to complement projects funded by the Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART programs.
Reclamation’s WaterSMART investments help states, tribes and local entities plan for and implement projects that increase water supply by providing funds to modernize existing infrastructure and otherwise build drought resilience. — USDA
