Opportunity Title: Department of Water Resources’s LandFlex Program
Description:
The SGM Grant Program's LandFlex Program will provide funding to GSAs and other responsible entities in critically overdrafted (COD) basins to provide block grants to farmers to limit agricultural groundwater use and reduce pumping impacts to nearby drinking water wells. Financial incentives to farmers will provide multiple community benefits such as drinking water well relief, groundwater overdraft prevention, and climate resilience.
The Legislature has provided $25 million to DWR for the LandFlex Program. DWR will solicit proposals to award funding through a competitive application process. The $25 million program provides financial incentives forgrowers to actively participate in the protection of community drinking water resources. LandFlex will also provide land use decision flexibility and greater financial certainty to growers as they adjust in response to ongoing SGMA implementation.
Eligible applicants are GSAs, member agencies of GSAs, and agencies with an Alternative to a GSP located in COD basins.
The application process, application review process, schedule, program preferences, and definitions are outlined within the funding guidance documents posted on the LandFlex Program's webpage (draft Guidelines in December 2022 and final anticipated January 17, 2023). Applicants will use the guidance provided in the final Guidelines (estimated to post on January 17, 2023)
Eligibility:
Public Agency
Eligible applicants for LandFlex must be a GSA, a member agency of a GSA, or an agency with an approved Alternative who are located within a COD basin. Eligible applicants must have adopted and are actively implementing a groundwater pumping allocation plan that includes a quantified volume of allowed annual overdraft pumping. Lastly, the eligible applicant must have implemented a remote sensed evapotranspiration (ET) accounting method.
Award Details:
Total Amount Available: $23.3M
Maximum Award: $10M
Minimum Award: $7M
Submission Details:
Estimated Open Date - 1/17/23
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