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What does the do?

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The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is a subdivision of the Department of the Interior responsible for managing water resources in the western United States. The agency oversees the operation of dams, power plants, and canals to provide water for irrigation, municipal, and industrial use. It also works on water conservation, environmental protection, and recreation projects. It was established in 1902.

In FY 2024,

$2.69B

was spent by the Bureau of Reclamation
In FY 2024,

15.7%

of Dept. of the Interior spending was by the Bureau of Reclamation

How much does the Bureau of Reclamation spend?

The Bureau of Reclamation spent a net total of $2.69 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 15.7% of the $17.1 billion spent by the Department of the Interior, which itself was 0.3% of all federal spending. The USBR ranked 4th among DOI subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Bureau of Reclamation ranked 4th among Department of the Interior divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOI net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Bureau of Reclamation’s federal spending has decreased from $3.01 billion in 1980 to $2.69 billion in 2024.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by USBR, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Bureau of Reclamation's spending has decreased 10.6%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. USBR spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, USBR accounted for 0.04% of overall federal spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by USBR as a share of federal spending, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Bureau of Reclamation's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net USBR spending.

How did the Bureau of Reclamation spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to USBR, FY 2024

How many people work for the Bureau of Reclamation?

Some 5,739 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Bureau of Reclamation as of September 2024. This is 7.7% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Bureau of Reclamation has increased 7.7% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for USBR, September 2010–2024

The Bureau of Reclamation accounts for 0.2% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.3%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Bureau of Reclamation's share of the workforce (0.2%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.04%).

Who leads the Bureau of Reclamation?

The Bureau of Reclamation is led by a Commissioner. This individual is nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The Commissioner reports to the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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