SACRAMENTO, CA - The U.S Department of the Interior announced its pledge of almost $20 million to the Central Valley drought relief effort, according to a press release.

The project is responsible for a third of the water that quenches California’s farmlands, spanning about 400 miles through the state.

“Today’s funding will help boost immediate and long-term efforts to improve water efficiencies and increase resilience in high-risk communities, including in California’s Central Valley,” Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior, said in the release. “I appreciate the support of Congress, especially that of Senator Feinstein and the California delegation, in helping make these much-needed funds available."

With one of the driest winters to date, only a small portion of California that spans the size of Chicago is not still considered in a drought, prompting drastic future measures to counteract the effects.

“California’s ongoing drought is wreaking havoc on farmers, ranchers, municipalities, tribes and the environment,” said Secretary Jewell. “With climate change, droughts are projected to become more intense and frequent in many parts of the West, so we need to pursue every measure to provide relief and support to communities who are feeling the impacts.”

The funds for the relief will be allocated from the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 as part of the year’s budget.

President Obama is also emphasizing a strong interest in keeping up the water infrastructure with the measures taken in the 2016 budget, projecting an additional $123 million towards the Central Valley project next year, as well as considerably more towards other western water areas as well.

In addition to the Western Drought Response funding, the Bureau of Reclamation will add an additional $8.8 million for the Central Valley Project made available through the Act to supplement the Natural Resources Conservation Services.

U.S. Department of the Interior