Press Releases

WASHINGTON D.C. -  Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) issued the following statement in response to the Department of Interior’s decision to award $209,000 to the Colorado River Indian Tribe (CRIT) to fund a canal lining project of the Colorado River.

“I am pleased to announce that CRIT will receive this critical funding to address substantial water seepage along a section of the canal of the Colorado River Irrigation Project. The project is anticipated to result in significant annual water savings currently lost to seepage.

CRIT relies on the Colorado River as their primary source of water. This area of Arizona is vulnerable to drought, having experienced drought conditions many years. Water conserved from this project will help CRIT meet existing demand during times of drought and water shortage,” concluded Rep. Gosar.

Amelia Flores, Chairwoman of the Colorado River Indian Tribes said, “We must do all we can to preserve the life of the Colorado River. Improvements to the Colorado River Irrigation Project, like this canal lining, are desperately needed. No one can afford to waste water in these times of drought. That is why CRIT is thankful for the WaterSMART funding from the Bureau of Reclamation and is committing an equal share of the money needed to improve the efficiency of the irrigation project that serves our reservation. CRIT thanks Congressman Gosar for supporting the WaterSMART program that makes these grants possible. Every dollar spent to save the Colorado River is a dollar well spent.”

Click HERE to read more about the Bureau of Reclamation’s 2021 WaterSMART grant awards.

Background:
Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities to plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Projects conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of hydropower; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk of future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States. Projects are selected through a competitive process and the focus is on projects that can be completed within two or three years.

The grant, from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART program, is matched by $234,000 from CRIT.