To help combat climate change and drought impacts on regional water supplies, the California Natural Resources Agency and Department of Water Resources have partnered with local water agencies to implement critical infrastructure upgrades that will improve water resilience and support environmental health in the Sacramento area.
Proposition 204 Drainage Reuse Grant Program

A photo of salt crystallization.
The Drainage Reuse Grant Program provides funds to local public agencies, including public universities, in the state of California for research and/or programs that resolve agricultural subsurface drainage water issues. The program encourages development of methods of using subsurface drainage, reducing its toxic elements, and concentrating, separating and utilizing its salts.
Examples of research and technical study projects that could be funded by this grant program include, but are not limited to, those that:
- Develop methods to reuse drainage water
- Optimize irrigation methods for source reduction
- Investigate or develop salt tolerant plant species
- Analyze market opportunities for harvested salts
- Develop drainage treatment and salt separation technologies
Final Funding Awards for the 2020 Drainage Reuse Grant Program Announced
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) released the Final Award List for four projects under its 2020 Drainage Reuse Grant Program.
Approximately $1.1 million in grant funding is being made available for local public agencies and universities in the State of California to facilitate research projects and programs that resolve agricultural drainage issues by developing methods of reusing it; reducing its toxic elements; and concentrating, separating, and utilizing its salts.
This funding is made possible by the 1996 Proposition 204 Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act (Prop 204) under a reimbursement agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
The draft funding recommendations were released for public review for 15 calendar days starting on July 22, 2020. The final funding award list is provided below.
Project Name |
Applicant |
Recommended Funding |
---|---|---|
A Continuous Process of Flexible Desalting and Salt Harvesting of Agricultural Drainage Water |
University of California, Los Angeles |
$300,000 |
Sustainable Desalination and Photochemical Treatment of Agricultural Drainage Water: High Recovery, Selenium Removal and Valuable Salts Harvesting |
University of California, Riverside |
$300,000 |
Optimization of Ion Exchange Pretreatment for the Desalination of Agricultural Drainage Water |
California State University, Fresno |
$ 280,404 |
Using Drainage Water to Grow Alternative Salt and Boron Tolerant Crop-guayule-that produces natural latex and resin for the West side of the SJV in Central California |
California State University, Fresno |
$ 191,072 |
Total: $1,071,476
For more information on document releases, new solicitations, and other grant-related announcements, subscribe to the Prop 204 mailing list and visit the Drainage Reuse Grant Program webpage.
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Subscribe to the Prop 204 mailing list for more information on document releases, new solicitations, and other grant-related announcements.
Key Documents
Grant Updates

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