Mojave Water Agency Awarded $12.8 Million Grant by Mojave Water Agency Jun 16, 2023 Member Submitted News APPLE VALLEY —The Mojave Water Agency (MWA) has been named as one of the Urban Community Drought Relief Program grant recipients from the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Grant funds will finance a water banking feasibility study that will help develop infrastructure projects. MWA serves approximately 500,000 residents within its 4,900-square-mile service area, of which, more than 89 percent is classified as an Economically Distressed Area (EDA) or a Disadvantaged Community (DAC). The $12.8 million award will provide funding for the Agency’s groundwater banking feasibility study for projects that aim to reduce the negative impacts of extended drought conditions for EDA and DAC communities and better position the region to manage California’s water extremes. “The Mojave Desert averages a mere five inches of rainfall per year, which makes sustainable water management critical,” said Mike Page, Mojave Water Agency Board President. “Scientific research is the foundation for all the Agency’s new programs and strategies to maximize the region’s limited resources and this grant will support those efforts.” MWA monitors and manages the region’s groundwater resources through scientific data collections and analysis. The planning and feasibility study will further management strategies to reduce prolonged drought risk while securing the water supply and enhancing protections for fish and wildlife resources identified in the State’s Water Supply Strategy developed last August. The proposed study will lead to proof of concept infrastructure projects that increase local storage capacity and community resiliency. All the proposed projects are in harmony with MWA’s mission statement to “collaboratively manage groundwater basins sustainably, import water responsibly, and address risks proactively using sound science.” For more information on the Mojave Water Agency visit www.mojavewater.org or call the Agency at (760) 946-7000. ###
