PROVO — The federal government gave three grants Monday to Utah groups for projects intended to conserve enough water to serve 10,400 families every year.

More than $425,000 is headed to central Utah areas where automation and reduction in seepage and canal overflows can save water. The money comes from "Water 2025," a federal program to help the West with water-supply shortages.

The three grants are among 19 selected from more than 100 applications. The federal group is handing out $4.5 million this year.

"If you say this is a drop in the ocean, I guess you're right — if you're in the middle of the ocean," said Utahn John Keys, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner. "But if you're in the middle of the desert, this means a lot."

Keys began his career in Provo 40 years ago, earned a master's degree from Brigham Young University and retired a few years ago to Moab. He returned to work when appointed by President Bush.

The money will be split between:

• Castle Dale's Emery Water Conservancy District ($257,910), which will install automatic remote controls at three dams and add automatic diversions on four creeks, then integrate them with its progressive data-collection software program.

The total project, which includes new measurement systems and other upgrades, will cost $535,520.

One highlight is an upgrade for solar panels that power existing automatic remote controls.

"All this automation is done with 12 volts," said Jay Humphrey, the district manager. "That's the neat thing about it, you don't have to run a power line to it."

The system already includes about 10 cameras that provide video feeds to ewcd.org, which is used not only by the water conservancy district but recreational water users, hikers and schoolchildren who want to check conditions or learn about hydrology.

• The Provo Water Users Association ($150,000), which plans to improve the point in Kamas where water from Beaver Creek is diverted into the Weber-Provo Canal.

"When the water gets to that point, we have rights to take 1,000 cubic feet per second," general manager Keith Denos said. "But we've never done that because if we try, the water overflows the banks."

The project's total cost is $426,203 and includes improvements to the canal. Denos expects the improvements to save water and $2,500 a year.

• The Springville Irrigation District, which will use $29,000 toward a $58,000 project to replace a ditch in Wasatch County with 550 feet of pipe to reduce seepage.

Like the Provo project, Springville's also could benefit the endangered June Sucker fish.

The three projects should save 10,400 acre-feet of water. An acre-foot of water, the amount used by the average family each year, is the equivalent of a lake one foot deep and the size of football field.

Keys said the $4.5 million spent on Water 2025 grants this year is being used in projects that will cost $30 million.

"We're leveraging our money seven times," he said.

Keys said the bureau hopes to double the grants next year.

"We have to take the water we have and stretch it to protect the agricultural economy that owns 80 percent of water rights in the West," he said. "The challenge is to find ways to meet the new requirements demanded by growing populations, new industry, recreation and endangered species."

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