I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2988
To direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation,
to conserve and enhance the water supplies of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 30, 1999
Mr. HINOJOSA (for himself, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. REYES, and Mr.
RODRIGUEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Resources
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau
of Reclamation, to conserve and enhance the water sup-
plies of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
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 1999’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the
Texas Water Development Board and any other au-
thorized entity of the State of Texas.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the
Commissioner.
(3) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of the Bureau of
Reclamation.
(4) COUNTIES.—The term ‘‘counties’’ means
the following counties in the State of Texas: Cam-
eron, Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy, Jim Hogg, Zapata,
Webb, Maverick, Val Verde, Kinney, Terrell, Brew-
ster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth, and El Paso.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Drought conditions over the last decade
have made citizens of the Lower Rio Grande Valley
region of Texas aware of the significant impacts a
dwindling water supply can have on a region.
(2) As a result of the impacts, that region has
devised an integrated water resource plan to meet
the critical water needs of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley through the end of the year 2050.
(3) Implementation of an integrated water re-
source plan to meet the critical water needs of the
Lower Rio Grande Valley is in the national interest.
(4) The Congress should authorize and provide
Federal, technical, and financial assistance to con-
struct improved irrigation canal delivery systems,
implement an aggressive water conservation pro-
gram, and improve water management to help meet
the critical water needs of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley through the end of the year 2050.
SEC. 4. LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION AND
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation
with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall undertake a pro-
gram to improve the supply of water for the counties
through the following activities:
(1) In cooperation with the State, water users
in the counties, and other non-Federal entities, con-
duct feasibility studies, engineering work, and infra-
structure construction and improvements for the
purpose of transporting raw water, including the fol-
lowing:
(A) Irrigation canals.
(B) Pipelines.
(C) Flow control structures.
(D) Meters.
(E) All associated appurtenances.
(2) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the State, water users in the counties, and
other non-Federal entities, enhance water conserva-
tion in the counties through the installation of on-
farm water application metering.
(3) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the State, and other non-Federal entities,
enhance water conservation including on-farm instal-
lation of gated and poly-pipe.
(4) In cooperation with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, the State, water users in the counties, and
other non-Federal entities including institutions of
higher education—
(A) develop educational programs and im-
plement on-farm training in the use and appli-
cation of state-of-the-art water application and
conservation techniques; and
(B) provide educational information re-
garding use and application of such techniques
to the Commissioners of the International
Boundary and Water Commission.
(b) 
PROJECT
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS.—A
project shall not be eligible to be implemented under this
section unless—
(1) the project plan shows an estimate of the
amount of water that will be conserved as a result
of the project; and
(2) the design for the project includes a cost-
of-project-to-water-developed ratio statement.
(c) DETERMINATION
OF PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.—
The responsibility for determining project eligibility under
subsection (b) shall be carried out by the State in con-
sultation with the Commissioner.
SEC. 5. COST SHARING.
The non-Federal share of the costs of any activity
carried out under, or with assistance provided under, this
Act shall be 40 percent of such costs. Not more than 30
percent of the costs of such an activity may be paid by
the State. Provision of the remainder of the non-Federal
share may include in-kind contributions of goods and serv-
ices.
SEC. 6. STUDIES.
(a) ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY OPTIONS.—
(1) STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Sec-
retary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Agri-
culture, counties, and other non-Federal entities,
shall—
(A) assess alternative water supply options
for the Counties of Maverick, Kinney, Edwards,
Val Verde, Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff
Davis, Hudspeth, and El Paso, Texas, for the
purpose of alleviating water supply shortages
and project water demands; and
(B) submit recommendations to the Con-
gress regarding such alternatives.
(2) EMPHASIS ON CONSERVATION MEASURES.—
Recommendations under subsection (a) shall empha-
size water management actions that encourage the
incorporation, by the counties referred to in para-
graph (1)(A) and irrigation districts in those coun-
ties, of prudent and responsible water conservation
measures to the extent such measures are shown to
be economically feasible.
(b) WASTEWATER REUSE.—The Secretary, in co-
operation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the counties
referred to in paragraph (1)(A), the State, and other non-
Federal entities, shall assess the feasibility of wastewater
reuse for irrigation and groundwater recharge and other
nonpotable purposes.
(c) COST SHARING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the
cost of any activity under this section shall not ex-
ceed 50 percent.
(2) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary may not
carry out any activity under this section except
under an agreement with a non-Federal entity that
has legal authority under the laws of the State to
obligate funds or provide in-kind services for such
activity, under which the non-Federal entity is obli-
gated to provide the non-Federal share of the cost
of the activity.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary to carry out this Act $65,200,000.
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