"We decided that we needed an approach that would be more flexible and that would allow us to address the kinds of challenges that we see with the drought situations and the growing population situations in the West," Norton said.

The Water 2025 program began in 2003 with a series of nine conferences throughout the West — including one in Salt Lake City — during which federal, state, tribal and local water officials gathered to explore ways to work together to conserve water. In 2004, $4 million worth of grants were awarded.

"By Western water project standards, that is just a drop in the bucket," Norton said. "What we found was that this tiny amount of money succeeded beyond our wildest hopes. People all around the country had great ideas. In our first year, we had over 100 applications for dividing up that $4 million. Out of that, we saw conservation of thousands of acre-feet of water."

This year, Norton has approved $9.9 million in Water 2050 Challenge Grants across the West — helping to fund 43 projects in 13 states. With matching contributions, more than $27 million in water improvements are expected to be made.

"This is clearly one of the most cost-effective ways for the federal government to help states and local communities stretch our water resources," she said.

What isn't happening as a result of the Water 2025 program is also significant, Norton said. "We won't see the conflicts that have been avoided. We won't see the crisis crises that have been averted," she said. "Instead, we will see growing communities and thriving communities. We will see water supplies conserved so they can stretch to meet the needs of this industrious state, to meet the needs of agriculture and to meet the needs of this flourishing nation."

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E-mail: jpage@desnews.com