The Bureau of Reclamation's Salton Sea Restoration Efforts Incurred Unsupported Costs and Were Not Sufficiently Monitored

Title Full

Date Issued

Monday, February 9, 2026

Submitting OIG

Department of the Interior OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of the Interior

Components

Bureau of Reclamation

Report Number

2024-WR-026

Report Description

We found that unsupported costs were charged to an IRA grant and BOR did not properly oversee a grant and cooperative agreement.

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

$66,647

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

External Link

Open Recommendations

This report has 4 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
2024-WR-026-02	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BOR identify similar instances where the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe requested reimbursement of unsupported payroll expenditures and associated indirect costs that were not allocable to the grant and resolve those costs.
2024-WR-026-04	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BOR review the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe's organizational procedures to ensure that the Tribe complies with applicable Federal regulations.
2024-WR-026-06	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BOR update Bureau of Reclamation financial assistance oversight policies to include specific timeliness requirements for the review, approval, and submission of the monitoring activity reports.
2024-WR-026-08	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BOR amend the scope of work for Grant Agreement R23AP00500 to include detailed, measurable objectives that the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe is responsible for achieving under the award.