H.R. 338

Every Drop Counts Act

 

Statement for the Record
Bureau of Reclamation
U.S. Department of the Interior
House Committee on Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries
H.R. 338, the Every Drop Counts Act

November 19, 2025

Thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement for the record on H.R. 338, Every Drop Counts Act. This bill extends and expands the Bureau of Reclamation’s Small Storage Program, which is a grant program for small surface water and groundwater storage projects in western states.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Small Storage Program was authorized by sections 40901(1) and 40903 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to promote federal assistance to enhance water storage opportunities. In accordance with the IIJA, as amended by P.L. 117-328, projects must have a water storage capacity of not less than 200 acre-feet and not more than 30,000 acre-feet. The legislation authorized $100,000,000 for small surface water storage and groundwater storage projects and established the Small Storage Program.

A third funding opportunity was republished in July 2025 and made $43.5 million available. Through this funding opportunity, Reclamation will continue to provide financial assistance for projects that, when implemented, will increase water supply reliability, improve operational flexibility, and enhance resiliency of water and related infrastructure throughout the 17 western states, Alaska, and Hawaii.

As the Department continues to evaluate the impacts of the proposed extension and expansion of the program outlined in H.R. 338, we note that the bill significantly increases the pool of minimally eligible applicants for the Small Storage Program. For example, this would expand eligibility to groundwater projects that recharge groundwater for storage or use and stabilize groundwater levels. H.R. 338 also appears to clarify the eligible projects under the Small Storage Program by specifying the average annual recharge capacity to not more than 150,000-acre feet over the life of the eligible project. Additionally, H.R. 338 reauthorizes the Small Storage Program for an additional five years to November 15, 2031.

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