A $7 million allocation from the bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been designated for a crucial project: the construction of a new pipeline connecting the Ash Creek Reservoir to the Chief Toquer Reservoir. This initiative aims to bolster water supply reliability, enhance operational flexibility, and fortify community and landscape resilience against the impacts of climate change.

The announcement of this funding was made by Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton during a tour of the Chief Toquer Reservoir Project in Toquerville. According to a news release from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the new reservoir is projected to hold 3,638 acre-feet of water and is anticipated to yield approximately 1,760 acre-feet annually. Last year, the project secured $4.7 million in funding, as stated in the release.

Highlighting the significance of water in various aspects of life, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized, "Water is essential to everything we do: feeding families, growing crops, powering agricultural businesses, sustaining wildlife, and safeguarding Tribal subsistence practices." Haaland underscored the necessity for collective action in safeguarding communities amidst severe drought conditions and historically low water allocations driven by the climate crisis.

Commissioner Touton echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of small-scale surface and groundwater storage projects in bolstering water storage opportunities and enhancing resiliency and flexibility for Western communities.

The news release also pointed out that President Biden’s Investing in America agenda represents the largest investment in climate resilience in the nation’s history. This investment is crucial in providing essential resources to empower Western communities to navigate through droughts and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Moreover, the bipartisan Infrastructure Law enables the Bureau of Reclamation to invest a total of $8.3 billion over five years into water infrastructure projects. These projects encompass a wide range of initiatives, including rural water development, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse, and desalination. The program, authorized by the law, supports projects with water storage capacities ranging from 200 to 30,000 acre-feet.