Federal Grants Offer $85 Million for Watershed Health and Stream Restoration

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation just lately introduced two WaterSMART packages funding stream restoration initiatives, with a number of rounds of funding by way of 2028. The Enhancing Water Sources Tasks (EWRP) and Cooperative Watershed Administration Packages (CWMP) are collectively distributing $85 million for initiatives together with watershed planning, in depth baseline and post-project monitoring, low-tech process-based (LTPBR) stream restoration, wildfire danger discount and restoration, and infrastructure upgrades.

Grassroots watershed teams are uniquely positioned to learn from this inflow of funding, as a lot of the CWMP funding is unique to watershed teams. Watershed teams even have sure benefits within the EWRP program, which can also be open to different nonprofit organizations in addition to conservation districts and municipalities, amongst others.

These packages current a possibility to advance stream restoration throughout the Rockies area and past, benefiting birds by stewarding the water and habitats they depend on. To assist these efforts, Audubon and The Nature Conservancy offered a webinar on the packages, together with how grant alternatives are the perfect match with totally different levels of LTPBR undertaking growth, and how you can develop aggressive proposals.

Watch a recording of the webinar and obtain the presentation slides beneath.

Download Presentation Slides

Which Grant Program is Greatest for my Challenge?

The EWRP program is a wonderful alternative to fund giant ($1-3 million), multi-component watershed well being and restoration initiatives that mix stream restoration initiatives with

Fuels mitigation
Water supply enhancements and flows restoration
Monitoring infrastructure
And/or a tough infrastructure element

Smaller stream restoration initiatives ($500k – $1 million) may additionally be aggressive if they’ve a nexus with water supply or provide, and incorporate nature-based options buildings or arduous infrastructure. EWRP initiatives are anticipated to have a minimum of 60% of undertaking design accomplished.

The CWMP program is the right alternative for current watershed teams to fund undertaking design, in preparation for a 2027 EWRP proposal. CWMP grants may also fund watershed planning, reminiscent of growing a Wildfire Prepared Watershed plan, which is useful for Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) grants, in addition to the event of latest watershed teams.

For organizations that aren’t watershed teams, Utilized Science grants fund modeling, forecasting, and data-based work, and may additionally fund parts of undertaking design or baseline monitoring.

The basics of every grant are outlined beneath, in addition to how they finest apply to stream restoration initiatives.