Bureau of Reclamation WaterSmart and Non-Core Programs
(Bureau of Reclamation)
Department of the InteriorWestern water users; farmers dependent on irrigation; drought-affected communities
Summary
The Bureau of Reclamation's WaterSMART program gives grants to states, tribes, irrigation districts, and water agencies across the West to make water use more efficient, plan for drought, and study water reuse and desalination. The FY2027 budget proposal cuts $200 million from WaterSmart and other 'non-core' climate-related water programs, while keeping funding for the core work of actually delivering water and power through Reclamation's dams and canals.
Who Is Affected
WaterSMART grants go to water districts, irrigation districts, tribes, and states across 17 Western states and territories, including farmers who rely on irrigation districts and communities facing chronic drought; since 2010 the program has funded roughly 2,379 projects worth $3.86 billion nationwide. A $200 million reduction would eliminate or sharply shrink the grant pipeline that pays for local water-efficiency upgrades, drought response planning, and water-reuse and desalination studies.
What this cut would actually mean
With less WaterSMART money, water districts and farm irrigation districts would have fewer federal dollars to line canals, install smart meters, or fund water-reuse and desalination projects that stretch scarce Colorado River and other Western water supplies. Because Reclamation's 'core' water-delivery operations are protected in this proposal, existing water deliveries would continue, but communities and farmers would have to delay or drop planned efficiency and drought-resilience upgrades or find state, local, or private money to replace the lost federal grants.
Sources
- Bureau of Reclamation: FY2027 Budget and Appropriations — Congressional Research Service brief noting the FY2027 President's budget requested no funding for WaterSMART, while House-passed appropriations included partial funding.
- Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Program — CRS overview explaining WaterSMART's subprograms and noting FY2026 enacted appropriations were the lowest since the program began, with FY2027 again proposing no funding.
- WaterSMART | Bureau of Reclamation — Reclamation's official WaterSMART program page describing its water conservation, drought response, and water reuse grant categories.
- NWC News Alert: FY2027 appropriations moving, latest on WRDA, and more — Industry newsletter noting the FY2027 Reclamation budget request is about 22% below FY2026 enacted levels and eliminates WaterSmart grant funding.
- Interior Announces Nearly $20 Million in WaterSMART Funding for Water and Energy Efficiency Projects — Interior Department press release quantifying the water and energy savings from a past round of WaterSMART grants, providing a benchmark for program impact.
Administration's Stated Rationale
“WaterSmart grants and climate-related water programs reduced; core water delivery operations maintained.”