Water Resource Issues in the 109th Congress Page: 4 of 6
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CRS-4
by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)), and whether to establish a
national water commission to address federal water policy and coordination.
Water Resource Projects
Most of the large dams and water diversion structures in the United States were built
by, or with the assistance of, the Bureau or the Corps. Traditionally, Bureau projects were
designed principally to provide reliable supplies of water for irrigation and some
municipal and industrial uses; Corps projects were designed principally for flood control,
navigation, and power generation. The Bureau currently manages hundreds of storage
reservoirs and diversion dams in 17 western states,3 providing water to approximately 9
million acres of farmland and 31 million people. The Corps' operations are much more
widespread and diverse, and include several thousand flood control and navigation
projects throughout the country, including 25,000 miles of waterways (with 238
navigation locks), 926 harbors, and 383 dam and reservoir projects (with 75 hydroelectric
plants).
Bureau of Reclamation. Since the early 1900s, the Bureau has constructed and
operated large, multi-purpose water projects; water supplies from these projects have been
primarily for irrigation. Construction authorizations slowed during the 1970s and 1980s
due to several factors. In 1987, the Bureau announced a new mission: environmentally
sensitive water resources management. In the following decade, increased population,
prolonged drought, fiscal constraints, and increased water demands for fish and wildlife,
recreation, and scenic enjoyment resulted in increased pressure to alter operation of many
Bureau projects. Such changes have been controversial, however, as water rights,
contractual obligations, and the potential economic effects of altering project operations
complicate any change in water allocation or project operations.
In contrast to the Corps, there is no tradition of a regularly scheduled authorization
vehicle for Bureau projects. Instead, Bureau projects are generally considered
individually.4 Bureau-related water project and management issues that are likely to be
considered during the 109th Congress include:
" oversight of project operations and environmental requirements (e.g.,
ESA and CWA);
" oversight of the Central Valley [California] Project Improvement Act;
" oversight of, and appropriations for, CALFED (Bay-Delta restoration);
" consideration of a West-wide rural water supply program;
" examination of the Bureau's Title 16 (recycling and reuse) program;
" authorization of individual water recycling and desalination projects; and
" response to drought conditions.
3 Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
4 However, Congress occasionally passes omnibus bills addressing key Bureau policy changes,
as well as new or revised project and program authorizations, the latest being the Reclamation
Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-575).
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Cody, Betsy A. & Hughes, H. Steven. Water Resource Issues in the 109th Congress, report, January 27, 2006; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc805220/m1/4/: accessed May 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.