(The Center Square) – The Gila River Indian Community in Arizona will receive $107 million in federal taxpayer dollars as part of a water agreement.
The funds, sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act, are divided between three major projects. Gila River Farms is getting a $64 million revamp of its irrigation, $26 million is going toward the Blackwater canals for “concrete line” and $17 million will head toward a “regulating reservoir” to be built to help the Santan Canal, according to a news release.
“Upgrading irrigation systems and improving water management will help the Gila River Indian Community conserve more water and strengthen Arizona’s resilience to drought,” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly stated. “These projects and the leadership of the Gila River Indian Community are essential to building a sustainable water future for Arizona, that protects the Colorado River and the communities that rely on it.”
President Joe Biden is expected to visit the Gila Crossing Community School on the reservation, which is located near Phoenix, on Friday. According to the Arizona Republic, it is his first visit to a Native American reservation as president.
The community’s governor, Stephen Roe Lewis, said in a statement that the efforts will help with combating the impacts of drought.
“By investing time and energy into careful planning, and in close partnership with our trustee, the Bureau of Reclamation, we were able to not only sign the first Bucket 2 infrastructure investment agreements but also to break ground on all three of them this month,” Lewis stated.
“Arizona is leading the way in combatting drought, and we are proud that we have been able to be the first to put the resources our congressional champions and this Administration made available to us,” he added.
