A $204 million grant will help rebuild the sinking Delta-Mendota Canal, improving its water delivery efficiency and capacity.

The money from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority will fund the canal fix after decades of over-pumping the aquifer caused the ground to sink.

A part of the Central Valley Project, the 117-mile canal brings water south to irrigate land in much of western Fresno County.

“This investment will accelerate our mutual efforts to restore the capacity of the Delta-Mendota Canal, ensuring reliable water delivery to communities that produce our nation’s food and technological innovation and the wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts that rely on the Pacific Flyway,” said Federico Barajas, executive director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority.

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Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act Grant

The grant is from President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, which set aside $8.3 billion for water infrastructure projects nationally. In November, Reclamation and the water authority reached an agreement to not only fortify the B.F. Sisk Dam but raise it, increasing its capacity.