(4) support water data and information shar-
ing, applied research, and educational programs of 
State, local, and tribal governments, communities, 
educational institutions, and the private sector; and 
(5) promote cooperation and sharing of exper-
tise regarding water data and information among 
State, local, and tribal governments, communities, 
educational institutions, and the private sector. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as are necessary. 
SEC. 302. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT AMEND-
MENTS. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL
FINDINGS
AND
DECLARA-
TIONS.—Section 102 of the Water Resources Research 
Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10301) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through 
(9) as paragraphs (8) through (10), respectively; 
(2) in paragraph (8) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(7) additional research is required to increase 
the effectiveness and efficiency of new and existing 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00055
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
treatment works through alternative approaches, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) nonstructural alternatives; 
‘‘(B) decentralized approaches; 
‘‘(C) water use efficiency and conservation; 
and 
‘‘(D) actions to reduce energy consumption 
or extract energy from wastewater;’’. 
(b) WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
AND TECH-
NOLOGY INSTITUTES.—Section 104 of the Water Re-
sources Research Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10303) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking 
‘‘water-related 
phenomena’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘water resources’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘From the’’ and inserting 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—From the’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) REPORT.—Not later than December 31 of 
each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00056
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Senate, the Committee on the Budget of the Senate, 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives, and the Committee 
on the Budget of the House of Representatives a re-
port regarding the compliance of each funding re-
cipient with this subsection for the immediately pre-
ceding fiscal year.’’; 
(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(e) EVALUATION OF WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH 
PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall con-
duct a careful and detailed evaluation of each insti-
tute at least once every 3 years to determine— 
‘‘(A) the quality and relevance of the water 
resources research of the institute; 
‘‘(B) the effectiveness of the institute at 
producing measured results and applied water 
supply research; and 
‘‘(C) whether the effectiveness of the insti-
tute as an institution for planning, conducting, 
and arranging for research warrants continued 
support under this section. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION ON FURTHER SUPPORT.—If, 
as a result of an evaluation under paragraph (1), the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00057
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Secretary determines that an institute does not qual-
ify for further support under this section, no further 
grants to the institute may be provided until the 
qualifications of the institute are reestablished to the 
satisfaction of the Secretary.’’; 
(4) 
in 
subsection 
(f)(1), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 
2011’’ and inserting ‘‘$7,500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2015 through 2020’’; and 
(5) in subsection (g)(1), in the first sentence, 
by striking ‘‘$6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2007 through 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,500,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2015 through 2020’’. 
SEC. 303. REAUTHORIZATION OF WATER DESALINATION 
ACT OF 1996. 
Section 8 of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 (42 
U.S.C. 10301 note; Public Law 104–298) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence of subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$5,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$8,000,000’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting 
‘‘2020’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘for each of 
fiscal years 2012 through 2013’’ and inserting ‘‘for 
each of fiscal years 2015 through 2020’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00058
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 304. REVIEW OF RESERVOIR OPERATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after receiv-
ing a request of a non-Federal sponsor of a reservoir, the 
Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration, shall review the operation of the reservoir, includ-
ing the water control manual and rule curves, using im-
proved weather forecasts and run-off forecasting methods, 
including the Advanced Hydrologic Prediction System of 
the National Weather Service and the Hydrometeorology 
Testbed program of the National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
(b) DESCRIPTION OF BENEFITS.—In conducting the 
review under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army 
shall determine if a change in operations, including the 
use of improved weather forecasts and run-off forecasting 
methods, will improve 1 or more of the core functions of 
the Corps of Engineers, including— 
(1) reducing risks to human life, public safety, 
and property; 
(2) reducing the need for future disaster relief; 
(3) improving local water storage capability and 
reliability in coordination with the non-Federal spon-
sor and other water users; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00059
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) restoring, protecting, or mitigating the im-
pacts of a water resources development project on 
the environment; and 
(5) improving fish species habitat or population 
within the boundaries and downstream of a water 
resources project. 
(c) RESULTS REPORTED.—Not later than 90 days 
after completion of a review under this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report to Congress regarding the re-
sults of the review. 
(d) MANUAL UPDATE.—As soon as practicable, but 
not later than 3 years after the date on which a report 
under subsection (c) is submitted to Congress, pursuant 
to the procedures required under existing authorities, if 
the Secretary of the Army determines based on that report 
that using improved weather and run-off forecasting meth-
ods improves 1 or more core functions of the Corps of 
Engineers at a reservoir, the Secretary of the Army 
shall— 
(1) incorporate those methods in the operation 
of the reservoir; and 
(2) update the water control manual. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:41 Jan 24, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00060
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H291.IH
H291
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS