One of 15 grants approved on June 3 by Yuba Water Agency will support in-classroom education about salmon and the Yuba River watershed, along with a guided rafting trip to see spawning salmon in the lower Yuba River. Photo courtesy of Yuba Water Agency

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - Yuba Water Agency on June 3 approved nearly $620,000 in grants for six projects focused on flood risk reduction, water supply reliability, conservation and education, along with nine grants to support first-responder agencies in Yuba County. The funding was awarded through Yuba Water’s Community Impact Grant and Loan Program and the Bill Shaw Rescue Equipment and Training Grant Program.

Yuba Water approved two grants to support water supply reliability projects in the Yuba County foothills. A $108,539 grant to North Yuba Water District will fund fencing around four rural treated water storage tanks to help safeguard water quality and storage. The tanks serve about 800 metered drinking water connections.

Camptonville Community Services District will use a $40,960 grant to develop an Operational Sustainability Plan to help the district become more self-sufficient and create a plan to address maintenance, funding opportunities and more. A separate $1,841 grant will pay for a water skimmer to remove debris from holding tanks used for drinking water.

A $196,211 grant to the South Yuba River Citizens League will cover the cost of Salmon Expeditions for all Yuba County fourth graders. The beloved program combines classroom lessons about the Yuba River watershed with a guided rafting trip to see spawning salmon in the lower Yuba River. Nearly 1,500 students, teachers and chaperones are expected to participate this year, more than doubling participation since 2019, the first year Yuba Water funded the program for Yuba County students.

“Thanks to Yuba Water’s continued support, we’re able to give every fourth-grader in Yuba County a chance to experience the Yuba River and see salmon in the wild,” said Monique Streit, South Yuba River Citizens League’s education director. “For many of these kids, it’s their first time on a raft or seeing a river up close. These are lessons that deepen their connection to science, nature and their home watershed, and really leave a lasting impact.”

An additional $20,000 grant to the Olivehurst Public Utility District will help cover operational costs and provide water safety education at the county’s only public swimming pool. The pool, located in Olivehurst and open from June through August, offers a supervised alternative to the Yuba and Feather rivers, which are cold, fast-moving and unsafe for swimming in the summer. Yuba County also contributed matching funds for this season.

An $87,500 grant to Reclamation District 784 will help cover the cost of replacing a relief well along the Bear River. Reclamation District 784 will cover the additional cost of the $175,000 project. Relief wells reduce pressure under levees during high water, helping prevent erosion or failure and are critical to meeting levee safety standards.

Reclamation District 784 covers more than 40,500 acres of land and includes more than 33 miles of levees, 60 miles of internal drainage canals, 82 relief wells and 10 pumping stations east of the Feather River.

Yuba Water awarded nine Bill Shaw grants totaling $164,714. The grants are exclusively for first-responder agencies serving Yuba County and the Yuba River watershed and cover one-time costs each fiscal year related to rescue equipment or specialized training connected to Yuba Water's missions.

A summary of this year’s Bill Shaw grantees is below.

Yuba-Sutter Trauma Intervention Program received $11,120 for updated equipment, safety gear and education

Foothill Fire Protection District received $15,208 for radios and charging bases and battery-powered tripod lights

Yuba County Sheriff's Office received $18,977 for drones to support the Sheriff’s Unmanned Aircraft System team with safety and mapping

Linda Fire Protection District received $19,225 for a drone to aid with water rescues

Dobbins Oregon House received $20,000 for fire rescue systems equipment

Yuba County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse received $20,000 for weatherproof jackets and pants for search and rescue missions, recoveries and evacuations

Camptonville Volunteer Fire Department received $20,000 for radios and pagers

Smartsville Fire Protection District received $20,000 to purchase updated personal protective equipment that meet current state and federal safety standards

Wheatland Fire Authority received $20,184 for portable radios

“These grants are game changers for first responders,” said Kyle Heggstrom, chief of the Linda Fire Protection District. “This program makes it possible for us to buy equipment and get training that we desperately need.”

The grants approved today are part of Yuba Water’s Community Impact Grant and Loan Program. Formalized in 2020, the program supports projects that align with the agency’s mission areas, with a goal of improving the quality of life for the people of Yuba County.

Nonprofit organizations, tribes and other government agencies can apply for funding to support projects related to flood risk reduction, water supply and management, watershed resilience, water education and conservation. Applications are accepted from Feb. 1 through March 31, except those related to Yuba Water’s core missions of water supply and flood risk reduction, which are accepted year-round. Learn more at yubawater.org.

Learn more about how Yuba Water Agency is powering a brighter future for Yuba County at yubawater.org.