I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 550 
To amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and 
Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional projects and activities 
under that Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 8, 2011 
Mr. HINOJOSA (for himself, Mr. REYES, and Mr. CUELLAR) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources 
Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize 
additional projects and activities under that Act, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lower Rio Grande Val-
ley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act 
of 2011’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AND 
ACTIVITIES UNDER THE LOWER RIO GRANDE 
WATER CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ADDITIONAL PROJECTS.—Section 4(a) of the 
Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation 
and Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–576; 114 
Stat. 3067) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(20) In Cameron County, Texas, Bayview Irri-
gation District No. 11, water conservation and im-
provement projects as identified in the March 3, 
2004, engineering report by NRS Consulting Engi-
neers at a cost of $1,425,219. 
‘‘(21) In the Cameron County, Texas, Browns-
ville Irrigation District, water conservation and im-
provement projects as identified in the February 11, 
2004, engineering report by NRS Consulting Engi-
neers at a cost of $722,100. 
‘‘(22) In the Cameron County, Texas Harlingen 
Irrigation District No. 1, water conservation and im-
provement projects as identified in the March 2004 
engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a 
cost of $4,173,950. 
‘‘(23) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron 
County Irrigation District No. 2, water conservation 
and improvement projects as identified in the Feb-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
ruary 11, 2004, engineering report by NRS Con-
sulting Engineers at a cost of $8,269,576. 
‘‘(24) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron 
County Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation 
and improvement projects as identified in an engi-
neering report by Turner Collie Braden, Inc., at a 
cost of $5,607,300. 
‘‘(25) In the Cameron County, Texas, Adams 
Gardens Irrigation District No. 19, water conserva-
tion and improvement projects as identified in the 
March 2004 engineering report by Axiom-Blair En-
gineering at a cost of $2,500,000. 
‘‘(26) In the Hidalgo and Cameron Counties, 
Texas, Hidalgo and Cameron Counties Irrigation 
District No. 9, water conservation and improvement 
projects as identified by the February 11 engineer-
ing report by NRS Consulting Engineers at a cost 
of $8,929,152. 
‘‘(27) In the Hidalgo and Willacy Counties, 
Texas, Delta Lake Irrigation District, water con-
servation and improvement projects as identified in 
the March 2004 engineering report by Axiom-Blair 
Engineering at a cost of $8,000,000. 
‘‘(28) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo 
County Irrigation District No. 2, a water conserva-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
tion and improvement project identified in the engi-
neering reports attached to a letter dated February 
11, 2004, from the district’s general manager, at a 
cost of $5,312,475. 
‘‘(29) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo 
County Irrigation District No. 1, water conservation 
and improvement projects identified in an engineer-
ing report dated March 5, 2004, by Melden and 
Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $5,595,018. 
‘‘(30) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo 
County Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation 
and improvement projects as identified in the March 
2004 engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering 
at a cost of $3,450,000. 
‘‘(31) In the Hidalgo County, Texas Santa 
Cruz Irrigation District No. 15, water conservation 
and improvement projects as identified in an engi-
neering report dated March 5, 2004, by Melden and 
Hunt at a cost of $4,609,000. 
‘‘(32) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Engelman 
Irrigation District, water conservation and improve-
ment projects as identified in an engineering report 
dated March 5, 2004, by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at 
a cost of $2,251,480. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(33) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Valley 
Acres Water District, water conservation and im-
provement projects as identified in an engineering 
report dated March 2004 by Axiom-Blair Engineer-
ing at a cost of $500,000. 
‘‘(34) 
In 
the 
Hudspeth 
County, 
Texas, 
Hudspeth County Conservation and Reclamation 
District No. 1, water conservation and improvement 
projects as identified in the March 2004 engineering 
report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of 
$1,500,000. 
‘‘(35) In the El Paso County, Texas, El Paso 
County Water Improvement District No. 1, water 
conservation and improvement projects as identified 
in the March 2004 engineering report by Axiom- 
Blair Engineering at a cost of $10,500,000. 
‘‘(36) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Donna Ir-
rigation District, water conservation and improve-
ment projects identified in an engineering report 
dated March 22, 2004, by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at 
a cost of $2,500,000. 
‘‘(37) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo 
County Irrigation District No. 16, water conserva-
tion and improvement projects identified in an engi-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
neering report dated March 22, 2004, by Melden 
and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,800,000. 
‘‘(38) The United Irrigation District of Hidalgo 
County 
water 
conservation 
and 
improvement 
projects as identified in a March 2004 engineering 
report by Sigler Winston, Greenwood and Associates 
at a cost of $6,067,021.’’. 
(b) INCLUSION OF ACTIVITIES TO CONSERVE WATER 
OR IMPROVE SUPPLY; TRANSFERS AMONG PROJECTS.— 
Section 4 of such Act (Public Law 106–576; 114 Stat. 
3067) is further amended by redesignating subsection (c) 
as subsection (e), and by inserting after subsection (b) the 
following: 
‘‘(c) INCLUSION
OF
ACTIVITIES
TO
CONSERVE 
WATER OR IMPROVE SUPPLY.—In addition to the activi-
ties identified in the engineering reports referred to in 
subsection (a), each project that the Secretary conducts 
or participates in under subsection (a) may include any 
of the following: 
‘‘(1) The replacement of irrigation canals and 
lateral canals with buried pipelines. 
‘‘(2) The impervious lining of irrigation canals 
and lateral canals. 
‘‘(3) Installation of water level, flow measure-
ment, pump control, and telemetry systems. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(4) The renovation and replacement of pump-
ing plants. 
‘‘(5) Other activities that will result in the con-
servation of water or an improved supply of water. 
‘‘(d) TRANSFERS AMONG PROJECTS.—Of amounts 
made available for a project referred to in any of para-
graphs (20) through (38) of subsection (a), the Secretary 
may transfer and use for another such project up to 10 
percent.’’. 
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
LOWER RIO GRANDE CONSTRUCTION. 
Section 4(e) of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water 
Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 
(Public Law 106–576; 114 Stat. 3067), as redesignated 
by section 2(b) of this Act, is further amended by inserting 
before the period the following: ‘‘for projects referred to 
in paragraphs (1) through (19) of subsection (a), and 
$42,356,145 (2004 dollars) for projects referred to in 
paragraphs (20) through (38) of subsection (a)’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
22:11 Feb 10, 2011
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H550.IH
H550
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS