The Agriculture Department announced $150 million to revitalize forests in Northern California and for drought relief for farmers and rural communities. The bulk of the money, $120 million, would go toward improving forest health and water quality and quantity in the Sierra-Cascade California Headwaters region. An additional $210 million would come from the Interior Department, the state, landowners and local groups. The USDA also alloted $13.7 million in cost-share funding for soil and water conservation projects by California producers to mitigate the impact of drought. An additional $6 million is available in emergency water grants for drought-stricken communities.
The Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains are the source of drinking water for 25 million Californians and much of the water used to irrigate crops int he Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.