ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: April 22, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Resolutions TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Kristina Budak, Water Director
DATE: April 9, 2026
SUBJECT: Resolution Authorizing City ’s Application for US Bureau of Reclamation Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Grant Funds
Document Description
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend approval of the resolution.
BACKGROUND:
The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) offers Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Grant Funding opportunities with various water agencies and districts to improve the reliability when determining water supply forecasts by enhancing snow monitoring using emerging technologies to complement existing monitoring techniques and networks.
The City of Bakersfield participates with the Kern River Interests on Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through the Aerial Snow Observatory and California Department of Water Resources (DWR), which enhances water resource planning for the Kern River basin. The grant funding opportunity will provide an additional snow flight using Lidar Technology to bolster the Ci ty’s forecasting abilities to plan for water operations of the Kern River. In addition, forecasting software ‘WRF-Hydro’ will be available to assist with City’s water supply forecasting , which will assess useful information for water management decisions. The intended beneficiaries of this Project are the City of Bakersfield and other Kern River Interests, who will benefit from improved water forecasting efforts.
The anticipated costs of the 3 -year survey program is $3 ,200,000, of which DWR will contribu te $2,100,000 in non-federal matching, and $999,999 grant funding, through the USBR Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program. The remaining $100,000 will be the City’s match portion, which will be distributed evenly amongst the other three (3) Kern River Inte rest Participants. At this time , this resolution only provides authorization to apply for the grant funding opportunity.
The City recommends the City Council give approval to the Water Department Director, or its designee, to apply for the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Grant Funding Opportunity, which will improve the City’s ability to forecast water supplies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no impact to the General Fund or the Water Department Fund at this time.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution