The United States Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of DOI’s priorities. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with States, Tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.
Drought conditions across the West impact a wide range of communities and sectors, including agriculture, cities, Tribes, the environment, recreation, hydropower producers, and others. The Western United States is experiencing its worst drought this century— historic in both duration and severity—threatening to kill crops, spark wildfires, and harm public health. As of November 2022, the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that more than 73 percent of the land in the 17 Western States is experiencing drought conditions, and nearly 50 percent of the area is experiencing severe to exceptional drought. Through WaterSMART, Reclamation provides financial assistance to water managers for projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently and to accomplish other benefits that contribute to sustainability in the Western United States.