RIDGECREST, Calif. (UI) — The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) is pursuing $5 million in federal funding to kickstart construction of a 50-mile Water Replenishment Pipeline, a critical project aimed at stabilizing groundwater levels in one of California’s most water-stressed regions.

According to IWVGA’s congressional funding request, the project would connect the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin with the State Water Project, delivering up to 6,431 acre-feet per year of imported water by 2070. The proposed pipeline, ranging from 18 to 24 inches in diameter, would run from California City to Ridgecrest, with booster pump stations and storage tanks along the route.

The total project cost is estimated at $200 million, with IWVGA providing a $1.25 million non-federal match for the first construction phase. The initial $5 million request was submitted under the Energy and Water Development Act for Fiscal Year 2027, supported by Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.

“This project is essential to achieving long-term water sustainability,” IWVGA Chairman Scott Hayman stated in a letter to federal lawmakers. “Without it, future water needs—both for the community and for the U.S. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake—cannot be met.”

The project aligns with the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requirement to bring basins into balance by 2040. Design and environmental permitting are underway, with construction targeted to begin in 2027 pending U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) approval and appropriations.

If funding is approved, the Corps would oversee mobilization, materials procurement, right-of-way acquisition, and initial tank construction during fiscal year 2027.