Las Vegas’ unofficial urban river that replenishes upward of 200 million gallons of water in Lake Mead every day has received $20 million for erosion control.

The money comes from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program. It will go to the Southern Nevada Water Authority to build an erosion control structure, or weir, located within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Reps. Susie Lee and Dina Titus, D-Nev., celebrated the funding on Tuesday. Both cast their votes to help the legislation pass.

“Nobody knows better than a Nevadan how important our water is, and today’s announcement is another huge win to protect both our local and regional water supply,” Lee said in a statement.

The wash is a key part of Southern Nevada’s commitment to recycling nearly every drop of water used indoors, including toilet water, and sending it back to Lake Mead.

Weirs and dense vegetation filter the water as it travels from reclamation facilities to the reservoir. Funds will go toward planting vegetation and removing invasive tamarisk trees.

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly onX.