Birmingham, AL – Nearly $1.6 million in federal funds is flowing to 25 Alabama farmers in a project aimed at creating small, on-farm reservoirs to help irrigate drought-plagued regions like the Southeast.
The 25 were chosen from some 180 farmers who applied for the financial assistance, which the farmers are required to match dollar-for-dollar.
The program, created in the 2008 farm bill, will help farms save on their water bills while providing a reliable source for irrigation if drought persists.
The 25 farmers chosen were ranked on how much water would be saved, whether there are protections in place against runoff, how efficiency would be improved and whether environmental impact on wetlands would be minimal.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)