A bill to direct the Secretary of the Army to provide for modification of certain Federal water resources development projects on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers, and for other purposes.

Summary: This bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to operate the federal water resources projects on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia in a manner that ensures the maintenance of freshwater flows. The term "freshwater flows" is defined as the quality, quantity, timing, and variability of freshwater flows required to: (1) support and reestablish the ecological integrity of the rivers, commercial and recreational fisheries dependent on freshwater flows into Apalachicola Bay and adjacent waters, and thriving and diverse fish, wildlife, and plant populations similar to those found prior to construction of the projects; (2) restore and recover species that are endangered, threatened, or at risk; and (3) prevent significantly harmful adverse impacts to the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola River ecosystems. The Corps of Engineers must enter into an arrangement for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct a study that evaluates existing data related to freshwater flows and provides recommendations on how to maintain such flows.  The Corps shall not issue a final water control manual based on the final environmental impact statement titled &quot;Update of the Water Control Manual for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and a Water Supply Storage Assessment,&quot; dated December 2016, but shall: (1) issue revised water control manuals for such projects that ensure the maintenance of freshwater flows, considering the findings of NOAA's study; (2) ensure that operational modifications needed to maintain freshwater flows are achieved while providing system-wide balance in conservation storage through the maintenance of water levels in the same action zone for each of the project reservoirs; (3) enter into an arrangement for the National Academy of Sciences to carry out an independent peer review of each revised manual; and (4) obtain written approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, and the U.S. Geological Survey of each manual developed before a final manual may be issued.

SECTION 1. APALACHICOLA, CHATTAHOOCHEE, AND FLINT RIVER PROJECTS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects.--The term 
        ``Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects'' means the Federal 
        water resources projects for the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, 
        and Flint Rivers in the States of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia 
        authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (59 Stat. 
        17, chapter 19), the first section of the Act of July 24, 1946 
        (60 Stat. 635, chapter 595), and section 203 of the Flood 
        Control Act of 1962 (Public Law 87-874; 76 Stat. 1182), 
        including--
                    (A) Buford Dam and Reservoir;
                    (B) West Point Dam and Reservoir;
                    (C) George W. Andrews Dam and Reservoir;
                    (D) Walter F. George Dam and Reservoir; and
                    (E) Jim Woodruff Dam and Reservoir.
            (2) Freshwater flows.--The term ``freshwater flows'' means 
        the quality, quantity, timing, and variability of freshwater 
        flows required--
                    (A) to support and reestablish--
                            (i) the physical, chemical, biological, and 
                        overall ecological integrity of the components, 
                        functions, and natural processes required for a 
                        thriving and resilient Chattahoochee River, 
                        Apalachicola River, Apalachicola River 
                        floodplain, and Apalachicola Bay;
                            (ii) commercial and recreational fisheries 
                        dependent on freshwater flows into Apalachicola 
                        Bay and adjacent waters, including the Gulf of 
                        Mexico; and
                            (iii) thriving and diverse fish, wildlife, 
                        and plant populations with species composition, 
                        diversity, adaptability, and functional 
                        organization similar to those found in the 
                        Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola River 
                        ecosystems prior to the construction of the 
                        Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects;
                    (B) to restore and recover species that are--
                            (i) endangered;
                            (ii) threatened; or
                            (iii) at risk; and
                    (C) to prevent significantly harmful adverse 
                impacts to the Chattahoochee River and Apalachicola 
                River ecosystems.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Army.
    (b) Project Modification.--Notwithstanding any authorized purpose 
of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects, the Secretary shall 
operate the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects in a manner that 
ensures the maintenance of freshwater flows.
    (c) Freshwater Flows Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an 
        arrangement with the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration under which the Administrator shall 
        conduct a study that--
                    (A) evaluates existing studies, assessments, and 
                data related to freshwater flows; and
                    (B) provides recommendations on how to maintain 
                freshwater flows.
            (2) Completion date.--The study referred to in paragraph 
        (1) shall be completed by not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Revision of Water Control Manuals.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary--
                    (A) shall not issue a final water control manual 
                based on the final environmental impact statement of 
                the Secretary entitled ``Update of the Water Control 
                Manual for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River 
                Basin in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and a Water 
                Supply Storage Assessment'' and dated December 2016; 
                and
                    (B) not later than 2 years after the date of 
                enactment of this Act, shall issue revised water 
                control manuals for Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint 
                projects that ensure the maintenance of freshwater 
                flows, considering the findings of the study under 
                subsection (c)(1), as appropriate.
            (2) Operational modifications.--In carrying out paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary shall ensure that operational modifications 
        needed to maintain freshwater flows are achieved, to the 
        maximum extent practicable, while providing system-wide balance 
        in conservation storage through the maintenance of water levels 
        in the same action zone for each of the Apalachicola-
        Chattahoochee-Flint project reservoirs.
            (3) Independent peer review of water control manuals.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall enter into an 
                arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under 
                which the Academy shall carry out an independent peer 
                review of each revised water control manual, as 
                required under section 2034 of the Water Resources 
                Development Act of 2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343).
                    (B) Compliance.--Each independent peer review 
                carried out under this paragraph shall comply with 
                section 2034 of the Water Resources Development Act of 
                2007 (33 U.S.C. 2343).
            (4) Final approval.--Before a final water control manual 
        may be issued, the Secretary shall obtain written approval of 
        each water control manual developed under this subsection 
        from--
                    (A) the Administrator of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency;
                    (B) the Director of the United States Fish and 
                Wildlife Service;
                    (C) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration; and
                    (D) the Director of the United States Geological 
                Survey.
    (e) Applicability of Other Federal and State Laws.--Except as 
provided in subsection (b), nothing in this section waives, limits, or 
otherwise affects the applicability of any provision of Federal or 
State law that would otherwise apply to the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-
Flint projects.
    (f) Project Clarification.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the project purpose of ``fish and wildlife conservation'' for the 
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint projects means protecting and 
restoring thriving and diverse populations of the full range of native 
fish and wildlife species that use the Apalachicola River and 
floodplain and the Chattahoochee River and floodplain, including 
through actions such as restoring the functions of natural systems and 
mimicking the timing, amount, and variability of natural flows.