A one million dollar grant promises to help with groundwater recharge and flood diversion in the Merced County, the Westlands Water District says. The grant was awarded to the district by the California Department of Water Resources as part of the Flood Diversion Recharge (FDRE) Initiative. … According to the water district, the grant will be used to support the removal of 450 acres of orchards near the San Luis Canal in Merced County. The removal of the trees will reduce demand for groundwater near critical infrastructure and will improve the availability of both surface and groundwater.