IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 142 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that in order to better 

understand water availability, sustainability, and security at a national 

scale, the United States should prioritize the assessment of the quality 

and quantity of surface water and groundwater resources, and produce 

a national water census with the same sense of urgency that was incorporated in the ‘‘Man on the Moon’’ project to address the inevitable 

challenges of ‘‘Peak Water’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 4, 2015 

Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Ms. LEE, Ms. CHU of California, 

Mr. PETERS, and Mr. HONDA) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to 

the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by 

the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

in order to better understand water availability, sustainability, and security at a national scale, the United 

States should prioritize the assessment of the quality 

and quantity of surface water and groundwater resources, and produce a national water census with the 

same sense of urgency that was incorporated in the 

‘‘Man on the Moon’’ project to address the inevitable 

challenges of ‘‘Peak Water’’. 


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•HRES 142 IH 

Whereas water is an essential, irreplaceable component to all 

sectors of society from agriculture, manufacturing, and 

energy development to domestic consumption, recreation, 

human health, and ecological maintenance; 

Whereas the consumption and allocation of water is therefore 

multi-objective, and thus demands the management of 

different and often conflicting uses; 

Whereas the practice of managing multiple water consumption interests is made more challenging by the 

compounding effects of climate change, water pollution, 

and population; 

Whereas the procurement, production, and delivery of energy 

requires the substantial mobilization and use of large 

quantities of water, and further intensifies competing demands for limited water resources as more people access 

and can afford more water-intensive lifestyles; 

Whereas the increasing demand on water resources and our 

diminishing water supply, coupled with competing interests in water consumption and wastewater disposal, is 

surpassing our ability to provide safe, secure, reliable 

water in many parts of the United States; 

Whereas groundwater resources, vital to community water 

systems and irrigation throughout the United States, are 

rapidly being depleted due to increased demands coupled 

with changes in hydrologic and climate patterns; 

Whereas chronic water shortages are increasingly felt 

throughout the United States with millions of people living in drought conditions and millions more indirectly affected by drought, such as through increased food prices; 

Whereas the demand on water resources coupled with 

drought have substantially lowered water levels in the 


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•HRES 142 IH 

United States navigable waterways and negatively affected navigation, commerce, hydroelectric energy production, recreation, and fishing; 

Whereas cumulative impacts of human water diversions have 

led to reduced or seasonally altered rivers in the United 

States, changing the magnitude and frequency of floods, 

and adversely impacting ecosystems of vital importance 

to human livelihoods; 

Whereas water is a significant component to ecological flows 

and disruptions and flow alterations can impose detrimental consequences to the chemical, biological, and 

physical integrity of surface water and groundwater and 

their ability to support ecological services including 

human consumption, wildlife habitat, fisheries, and recreation; and 

Whereas the National Water Availability and Use Assessment 

Program provisioned in the SECURE Water Act is a 

foundational element necessary to understand water use, 

availability, sustainability, and security in the United 

States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) to keep water costs affordable, curb envi4 ronmental impact, maintain ecological flows, safe5 guard economic prosperity, and reduce risk, the 

6 United States should rapidly transition to a sustain7 able, secure water economy that prioritizes ecological 

8 flows; 


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•HRES 142 IH 

1 (2) to foster a national and regional under2 standing of water use, availability, and sustain3 ability, all Federal agencies whose missions include 

4 water should coordinate their efforts and collaborate 

5 with State and local water authorities; and 

6 (3) to better understand water availability, sus7 tainability, and security on a national scale, the 

8 United States should prioritize the assessment of the 

9 quality and quantity of surface water and ground10 water resources, and produce a national water cen11 sus with the same sense of urgency that was incor12 porated in the ‘‘Man on the Moon’’ project to ad13 dress the inevitable challenges of ‘‘Peak Water’’. 

Æ 


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