Sustainable Groundwater Implementation Grant, funded by California Department of Water Resources

In 2021, the Merced Groundwater Subbasin GSAs were awarded $4.99M by the California Department of Water Resources for the development of the Southern Merced Subbasin Groundwater Recharge Project.

The Funding Award included approximately $4.99M for construction projects in the Merced Groundwater Subbasin. Of these projects, Merced Irrigation District (a MIUGSA member agency) received $764,000 for the enlargement of four siphons in the El Nido area, designed to increase conveyance capacity at the end of the system by 40 cubic feet per second. The additional conveyance capacity could be utilized to deliver additional surface water during the irrigation season, provide additional capacity for groundwater recharge and potentially reduce peak flows off Mariposa Creek.

Construction of the four siphons was completed on schedule, in Spring 2022. Conveyance improvements like this one are key to sustainably managing groundwater resources.