Funding available for Fresno farmers to build water conservation projects
• Editor’s note: Allison Hunter covers Fresno County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative.
Fresno Irrigation District growers can get help with up to 80% of their costs for projects that improve groundwater conservation and irrigation efficiency through a program run by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service and Bureau of Reclamation.
The fund helps pay for projects such as drip irrigation or adding soil moisture sensors on farms. It also pays water districts for large-scale work such as new recharge basins.
Applications are open until Nov. 6.
Though applications go directly to the federal agencies, Fresno Irrigation District growers have a slight edge as the district received a “priority area” designation four years ago, according to Kassy Chauhan, special projects manager for the district.
That designation reduces the competition pool to just other growers and districts within their geographic area, she explained.
However, the priority area designation expires after this grant cycle.
“We will advocate that the application be opened up so we can apply again. However, there are no guarantees,” Kassy Chauhan special projects manager for the district, wrote in an email.
Local growers have made good use of the program so far.
In fiscal years 2024 and 2025, 34 Fresno Irrigation District farmers received nearly $2.3 million for various on-farm projects and the district itself received $800,000 toward construction of its Kenneson & Sanchez groundwater recharge basin, Chauhan said.
She didn’t have figures yet for projects funded in fiscal year 2026.
The money comes from the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) WaterSMART Initiative.
Awards are based on each project’s cost and drawn from a shared WaterSmart fund pool dedicated to the district.
At a district webinar on Oct. 19, Mikhael Kazzi, a soil conservationist with the NRCS Fresno, said the program pays 40% to 80% of project costs,
Farmer Arshdeep Singh received $200,000 from the EQIP program several years ago, he said in an interview. The program helped pay for a new irrigation system, a storage reservoir, a pumping station, moisture sensors and bird perches. The total project cost $470,000.
The reservoir, in particular, helped him pump less groundwater, which has meant he’s also saved on his electric bill.
“Pretty much, all year, we turn on our well like two, three, maybe – maximum – five times,” Singh said.
Singh grows mandarins and lemons on his 100-acre ranch in southeast Fresno.
He did caution growers thinking of applying that the process is long and competitive. He suggested planning three or four years ahead because there is not enough money for everyone who applies.
