R26AS00016 WaterSMART Drought Response Program

Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and local entities as they plan and implement actions to increase water supply and hydropower reliability. The WaterSMART Program demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332). The goal of the WaterSMART Applied Science Grants (ASG) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite eligible entities to apply for funding to improve access to and use of hydrologic data, develop and improve water management tools, and improve hydrologic modeling and forecasting capabilities.Water managers and reservoir operators rely on hydrologic data, modeling, and water supply forecasts to make decisions to meet future water demands. Water supply forecasts are estimates of current and future water supplies based on measured basin conditions (e.g., such as the quantity of upstream mountain snowpack). Results from these projects will be used by water managers to increase water supply reliability to meet water delivery requirements (e.g., compacts, decrees, etc.), provide flexibility in water operations to be more resilient during droughts, and enhance water supply forecasts to better predict floods and optimize limited water supplies. Example projects include improving operational models for irrigation water deliveries or reservoir operations, improving the use of snow monitoring technologies to enhance the skill of water supply forecasts, and improving data acquisition, data analysis, and data delivery, including the development of hydrologic databases.The ASG NOFO will build on and complement projects funded under the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Funding Opportunity by providing funding for applicants to improve the integration of innovative snow measurement data into water supply forecasts.

The objectives of this NAA/TAP funding opportunity are to provide funding for drought relief actions/projects that mitigate drought impacts for designated federally recognized tribes within the Colorado River Basin (see Eligibility section for list of tribes), and which advance Presidential and Department of the Interior Priorities within the Basin.Proposals should meet one or more of the following objectives:Mitigate drought impacts,Increase drought resiliency,Reduce reliance on declining water sources,Increase the efficiency of water deliveries,Mitigate the loss of tribal water or water related resources,Address drinking water shortages or,Advance Presidential or Department of the Interior Priorities in these areasReclamation Plans to make Fiscal Year 2025 funds available for proposals selected for this NOFO:Maximum award per tribe: $1,000,000No cost share is statutorily required; however, partnering and collaboration, including through cost sharing, is encouraged.The NAA/TAP demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332).

The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program funding opportunity invites eligible entities to apply for funding to develop local solutions to address their water management needs. This opportunity provides funding for watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design. By providing this funding, Reclamation promotes water reliability and cooperation between stakeholders to reduce conflict, facilitate solutions to complex water issues, and stretch limited water supplies.The WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program demonstrably advances Trump administration priorities, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14154 (January 20, 2025): Unleashing American Energy (E.O. 14154) and Secretarial Order 3418, and aligns with other priorities and requirements, such as those identified in Presidential Executive Order 14332 (August 7, 2025): Improving Oversight in Federal Grantmaking (E.O. 14332).