The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is excited to announce the Agricultural Water Optimization Program.
Donor Name: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF)
State: Utah
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/28/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This grant is for individuals or their businesses on-farm water efficiency projects and for water management organizations like Irrigation, Canal, or Ditch companies for water conveyance efficiency projects.
Funding Information
- The maximum grant amount for irrigation/canal companies is $1,000,000
- The maximum grant amount for farms is $500,000
Funding Criteria
- The Agricultural Water Optimization Program is only available to agricultural irrigation water users with a valid water share or water right. This program is not for residential secondary irrigation systems or livestock watering systems.
- Projects must be located in Utah.
- A field must have been subject to a reasonable attempt to irrigate the majority of its acreage for at least one full growing season within the look back period of the last 5 years.
- All applicants must engage in a pre-consultation with the Utah Division of Water Rights.
- All projects will be ranked based on criteria approved by the Agricultural Water Optimization Committee and funding recommendations will be approved by the Utah Conservation Commission.
- All materials purchased for the Water Optimization Project must be new. Used equipment is not eligible for program funding.
- Irrigation ponds must meet all local, state & federal safety regulations.
- It is the responsibility of the grantee to obtain all required permits, permissions and approvals associated with construction of the agricultural water optimization project.
- All projects are subject to a State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) review.
- Cost share is available through the Water Optimization program.
- Project payments will only be made for irrigation items received or work completed, no prepayment of project components will be made.
- In-kind labor (time) will not be reimbursed.
- Any modifications to the proposed project must be submitted in writing to Water Optimization staff to be reviewed for approval prior to the change being made.
- Basic Requirement
- Up to 75% cost share for measurement, telemetry and reporting projects
- 50% cost share for all other water optimization projects
- Real-time metering is required on all projects:
- Daily recording of all water that flows through the system
- The meter must be able to record and store data
- Data from the meter will be used in annual reports.
For more information, visit DAF.
