US EditionCalifornia Receives $540M in Federal Water Infrastructure Funding
The $540 million investment targets canal subsidence and aging infrastructure to improve drought resilience and water delivery for 1.2 million acres of farmland, officials said.
- On March 17, 2026, the Trump administration announced $540 million for California water infrastructure, focusing on repairing Central Valley canals and allocating $40 million for planning to raise Shasta Dam.
- Land subsidence — driven by groundwater pumping — has warped San Joaquin Valley canals and reduced their capacity, with a Stanford University study finding nearly an inch of sinking per year between 2006 and 2022.
- The package directs $235 million to rehabilitate the Delta-Mendota Canal serving 1.2 million acres, $200 million for Friant-Kern Canal repairs, and $50 million and $15 million for San Luis Canal and Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority pumping plant.
- California water agencies welcomed the announcement, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum saying the investments will 'strengthen our nation's water security' and Westlands Water District calling it a 'long-overdue investment in water supply reliability'.
- Tribal leaders and environmental groups warn raising Shasta Dam would flood sacred sites and harm salmon habitat, despite the $40 million funding announced Tuesday. Critics question the project's cost and ecological benefits.
15 Articles
15 Articles
California receives $540M in federal water infrastructure funding
The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced $889 million in funding for western U.S. water infrastructure, with $540 million for California, including $40 million toward planning a possible expansion of Shasta Dam to boost water storage and reliability in…
Cal Matters
A contentious project to raise California’s Shasta Dam just got a funding boost from Trump
Following pressure from powerful California growers, the Trump administration’s Interior Department announced Tuesday that it will put $40 million toward efforts to raise Shasta Dam — a controversial project that opponents say could swamp sacred sites and harm a protected river. North of Redding, the 602-foot-high dam on the Sacramento River forms California’s largest reservoir, storing more than 40% of the water socked away for irrigating Cent…
California will get $540 million for water projects, Trump administration announces
The Trump administration has announced $540 million in spending on water infrastructure projects in California. Much of it will go to repair aging and sinking canals in the Central Valley.
Valadao and Valley Farmers Applaud Trump Funding for Water Projects
Growers in Fresno-headquartered Westlands Water District and elsewhere are celebrating the Trump administration’s $540 million commitment to water storage and conveyance projects in California. Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), who is facing a tough re-election bid in the 22nd District, joined growers in applauding the announcement Tuesday. “After nearly a year of work, I’m proud to announce California will receive $540 million to support critical…
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