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form of a grant, to support activities related to education 
on water resources. 
(b) ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may enter 
into a cooperative agreement or contract or provide finan-
cial assistance for activities that improve water resources 
education, including through tours, publications or other 
activities that— 
(1) disseminate information on water resources 
via educational tools, materials or programs; 
(2) publish relevant information on water re-
source issues, including environmental and ecological 
conditions; 
(3) advance projects that improve public under-
standing of water resource issues or management 
challenges, including education on drought, drought 
awareness, and drought resiliency; 
(4) provide training or related education for 
teachers, faculty, or related personnel, including in 
a specific geographic area or region; or 
(5) enable tours, conferences, or other activities 
to foster cooperation in addressing water resources 
or management challenges, including cooperation re-
lating to water resources shared by the United 
States and Canada or Mexico. 
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(c) GRANT PRIORITY.—In making grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to activities 
that— 
(1) provide training for the professional devel-
opment of legal and technical experts in the field of 
water resources management; or 
(2) help educate the public, teachers or key 
stakeholders on— 
(A) a new or significantly improved water 
resource management practice, method, or tech-
nique; 
(B) the existence of a water resource man-
agement practice, method, or technique that 
may have wide application; 
(C) a water resource management practice, 
method, or technique related to a scientific field 
or skill identified as a priority by the Secretary; 
or 
(D) general water resource issues or man-
agement challenges, including as part of a 
science curricula in elementary or secondary 
education setting. 
CHAPTER 5—MISCELLANEOUS 
SEC. 81251. OFFSET. 
(a) PURPOSE; DEFINITION.— 
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(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is 
to establish an efficient and transparent 1-time proc-
ess for deauthorizing Bureau of Reclamation 
projects that have failed— 
(A) to receive a minimum level of Federal 
investment; or 
(B) to initiate construction. 
(2) DEFINITION OF RECLAMATION PROJECT.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘Reclamation project’’ 
means a surface water storage project or project 
under the purview of title XVI of Public Law 102– 
575 that is to be carried out, funded or operated in 
whole or in part by the Secretary pursuant to the 
Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388, chapter 1093), 
and Acts supplemental to and amendatory of that 
Act (43 U.S.C. 371 et seq.). 
(b) BACKLOG LIST.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives, and make avail-
able on a publicly accessible internet website in a manner 
that is downloadable, searchable, and sortable, a list of— 
(1) Reclamation projects— 
(A) that are authorized; and 
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(B) for which, during the fiscal year in 
which this Act is enacted and each of the pre-
ceding 10 fiscal years— 
(i) no application for Federal funding 
has been received; and 
(ii) no construction has occurred; and 
(2) for each Reclamation project listed under 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) the date of authorization of the Rec-
lamation project, including any subsequent 
modifications to the original authorization; 
(B) a brief description of the Reclamation 
project; and 
(C) any amounts appropriated for the Rec-
lamation project that remain unobligated. 
(c) INTERIM DEAUTHORIZATION LIST.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
and make publicly available an interim deauthoriza-
tion list that identifies each Reclamation project de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1). 
(2) PUBLIC COMMENT AND CONSULTATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall so-
licit and accept, for a period of not less than 90 
days, comments relating to the interim de-
authorization list under paragraph (1) from— 
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(i) the public; and 
(ii) the Governor of each applicable 
State. 
(B) PROJECT SPONSORS.—As part of the 
public comment period under subparagraph (A), 
the Secretary shall provide to project sponsors 
the opportunity to provide to the Secretary a 
notice of the intent to initiate construction of 
the project by not later than the date that is 2 
years after the date of publication of the pre-
liminary final deauthorization list under sub-
section (d). 
(3) SUBMISSION
TO
CONGRESS; 
PUBLICA-
TION.—Not later than 90 days after the date of sub-
mission of the backlog list under subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) submit the interim deauthorization list 
under paragraph (1) to the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate and 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives; and 
(B) publish the interim deauthorization list 
in the Federal Register. 
(d) PRELIMINARY FINAL DEAUTHORIZATION LIST.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
a preliminary final deauthorization list that includes 
each project identified pursuant to paragraph (2). 
(2) IDENTIFICATION OF PROJECTS.— 
(A) EXCLUSIONS.—The Secretary may 
identify a Reclamation project described in sub-
section (b)(1) for exclusion from the prelimi-
nary final deauthorization list if the Secretary 
determines, on a case-by-case basis following re-
ceipt of public comments, that the project is 
critical for interests of the United States, based 
on the practicable impact of the project on— 
(i) public health and safety; 
(ii) the national economy; or 
(iii) the environment. 
(B) SUBJECT TO DEAUTHORIZATION DES-
IGNATION.—Any Reclamation project the spon-
sor of which has provided to the Secretary a no-
tice of the intent to initiate construction by not 
later than 2 years after the date of publication 
of the preliminary final deauthorization list 
under this subsection shall be designated on 
that list as ‘‘subject to deauthorization’’. 
(C) APPENDIX.—The Secretary shall in-
clude as part of the preliminary final deauthor-
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lamation project has substantially initiated con-
struction on the Reclamation project; or 
(B) deauthorized, if the Secretary has not 
received the evidence described in subparagraph 
(A). 
(3) DEAUTHORIZATION.—Any project described 
as deauthorized pursuant to paragraph (2)(B) shall 
be deauthorized on the date that is 180 days after 
the date of submission of the updated final de-
authorization list under paragraph (1), unless Con-
gress has enacted a joint resolution disapproving 
that list. 
(g) TREATMENT OF PROJECT MODIFICATIONS.—For 
purposes of this section, if an authorized Reclamation 
project has been modified by an Act of Congress, the date 
of authorization of the project shall be considered to be 
the date of the most recent modification. 
SEC. 81252. DELAYED WATER PROJECT RECOMMENDA-
TIONS. 
The Secretary shall, not later than 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, transmit recommendations 
to the appropriate committees of Congress for the use of 
funds made available for fiscal year 2019 to advance— 
(1) water storage projects in accordance with 
section 4007 of Public Law 114–322; 
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(2) title XVI water reuse projects in accordance 
with section 4009(c) of Public Law 114–322; and 
(3) water desalination projects in accordance 
with section 4009(a) of Public Law 114–322. 
SEC. 81253. CONTINUED USE OF PICK-SLOAN MISSOURI 
BASIN PROGRAM PROJECT USE POWER BY 
THE KINSEY IRRIGATION COMPANY AND THE 
SIDNEY WATER USERS IRRIGATION DISTRICT. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) the Act of May 18, 1938 (52 Stat. 403, 
chapter 250; 16 U.S.C. 833 et seq.), authorized the 
completion, maintenance, and operation of the Fort 
Peck project; 
(2) section 2 of that Act (52 Stat. 404, chapter 
250; 16 U.S.C. 833a) authorized and directed the 
Bureau of Reclamation— 
(A) to transmit and sell electric energy 
generated by the Fort Peck project; and 
(B) ‘‘to interconnect the Fort Peck project 
with either private or with other Federal 
projects and publicly owned power systems now 
or hereafter constructed.’’; 
(3) section 9 of the Act of December 22, 1944 
(commonly known as the ‘‘Flood Control Act of 
1944’’) (58 Stat. 891, chapter 665)— 
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(A) authorized the Missouri River Basin 
Project, now known as the ‘‘Pick-Sloan Mis-
souri Basin Program’’ (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Program’’); 
(B) approved the comprehensive plan for 
the Program set forth in Senate Document 191 
and House Document 475, as revised and co-
ordinated by Senate Document 247, 78th Con-
gress; 
(C) established a permanent administra-
tion for the development of the Missouri River 
Basin; and 
(D) incorporated the Fort Peck project as 
part of the Program; 
(4) in 1946, the Bureau of Reclamation entered 
into project use power contracts to provide the 
Kinsey Irrigation Company and the predecessor of 
the Sidney Water Users Irrigation District electrical 
service under the authority of the Act of May 18, 
1938 (52 Stat. 403, chapter 250; 16 U.S.C. 833 et 
seq.); 
(5) since 1946, the Bureau of Reclamation has 
approved 9 modifications to the project use power 
contracts between the Bureau of Reclamation, the 
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Kinsey Irrigation Company, and the Sidney Water 
Users Irrigation District; 
(6) the project use power contracts in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act provide electric 
service to the Kinsey Irrigation Company and the 
Sidney Water Users Irrigation District at the Pro-
gram rate of 2.5 mills per kilowatt-hour, including 
wheeling, through 2020; and 
(7) the Kinsey Irrigation Company and the Sid-
ney Water Users Irrigation District have reasonably 
relied on the authority of the Act of May 18, 1938 
(52 Stat. 403, chapter 250; 16 U.S.C. 833 et seq.), 
and the fact that the Bureau of Reclamation has 
treated the Kinsey Irrigation Company and the Sid-
ney Water Users Irrigation District as irrigation 
pumping units of the Program for more than 74 
years. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law and subject to subsection (c), the Sec-
retary of the Interior (acting through the Commissioner 
of Reclamation) shall continue to treat the irrigation 
pumping units known as the ‘‘Kinsey Irrigation Com-
pany’’ in Custer County, Montana, and the ‘‘Sidney Water 
Users Irrigation District’’ in Richland County, Montana, 
or any successor to the Kinsey Irrigation Company or Sid-
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ney Water Users Irrigation District, as irrigation pumping 
units of the Program for the purposes of wheeling, admin-
istration, and payment of project use power. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The quantity of power to be pro-
vided to the Kinsey Irrigation Company and the Sidney 
Water Users Irrigation District (including any successor 
to the Kinsey Irrigation Company or the Sidney Water 
Users Irrigation District) under subsection (b) may not 
exceed the maximum quantity of power provided to the 
Kinsey Irrigation Company and the Sidney Water Users 
Irrigation District under the applicable contract for elec-
tric service in effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 
Subtitle C—Western Water 
Security 
SEC. 81301. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) RIO
GRANDE
COMPACT.—The term ‘‘Rio 
Grande Compact’’ means the compact approved by 
Congress under the Act of May 31, 1939 (53 Stat. 
785, chapter 155). 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means the State 
of New Mexico. 
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CHAPTER 1—INFRASTRUCTURE AND 
WATER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT 
SEC. 81311. WATERSMART EXTENSION AND EXPANSION. 
(a) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.—Section 
9502 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 
2009 (42 U.S.C. 10362) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘section’’ and inserting ‘‘subtitle’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE APPLICANT.—The term ‘eligible 
applicant’ means— 
‘‘(A) any State, Indian tribe, irrigation dis-
trict, or water district; 
‘‘(B) any State, regional, or local author-
ity, the members of which include one or more 
organizations with water or power delivery au-
thority; 
‘‘(C) any other organization with water or 
power delivery authority; or 
‘‘(D) any nonprofit conservation organiza-
tion.’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (13) through 
(17) as paragraphs (14) through (18), respectively; 
and 
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(4) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(13) NATURAL
WATER
RECHARGE
INFRA-
STRUCTURE.—The term ‘natural water recharge in-
frastructure’ means a single project, a number of 
distributed projects across a watershed, or the rede-
sign and replacement, or removal, of built infra-
structure to incorporate natural aquatic elements, in 
which the project— 
‘‘(A) uses natural materials appropriate to 
the specific site and landscape setting; 
‘‘(B) mimics natural riverine, floodplain, 
riparian, wetland, hydrologic, or other ecological 
processes; and 
‘‘(C) results in aquifer recharge, transient 
floodplain water retention, or restoration of 
water in the landscape such that the water re-
turns to a wetland, riparian area, or surface 
water channel.’’. 
(b) RESEARCH AGREEMENTS.—Section 9504(b)(1) 
of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 
U.S.C. 10364(b)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 
by inserting ‘‘nonprofit conservation organization,’’ 
before ‘‘or organization’’; 
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(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘or’’ at 
the end; 
(3) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as sub-
paragraph (D); and 
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) to increase natural water recharge in-
frastructure; or’’. 
(c) WATER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT.—Section 
9504(e) of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 
2009 (42 U.S.C. 10364(e)) is amended by striking 
‘‘$530,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$700,000,000, subject to 
the condition that $50,000,000 of that amount shall be 
used to carry out section 206 of the Energy and Water 
Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
2015 (43 U.S.C. 620 note; Public Law 113–235)’’. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 4009(d) of 
Public Law 114–322 (42 U.S.C. 10364 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘on the condition that of that amount, 
$50,000,000 of it is used to carry out section 206 of the 
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Ap-
propriation Act, 2015 (43 U.S.C. 620 note; Public Law 
113–235)’’. 
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SEC. 81312. EMERGENCY DROUGHT FUNDING. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
301 of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief 
Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2241) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘120,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘180,000,000’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2020’’ and inserting ‘‘2025, of 
which not more than $30,000,000 shall be made 
available during that period for the conduct of ac-
tions authorized under title I of the Reclamation 
States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 
U.S.C. 2211 et seq.) to benefit imperiled fish and 
wildlife’’. 
(b) APPLICABLE PERIOD OF DROUGHT PROGRAM.— 
Section 104 of the Reclamation States Emergency 
Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2214) is amended 
by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The programs and authorities 
established under this title shall become operative in any 
Reclamation State and in the State of Hawaii only— 
‘‘(1) after the Governor or Governors of the af-
fected State or States, or the governing body of an 
affected Indian Tribe with respect to a reservation, 
has made a request for temporary drought assist-
ance and the Secretary has determined that the tem-
porary assistance is merited; 
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‘‘(2) after a drought emergency has been de-
clared by the Governor or Governors of the affected 
State or States; or 
‘‘(3) on approval of a drought contingency plan 
as provided in title II.’’. 
(c) REAUTHORIZATION.—Section 104(c) of the Rec-
lamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 
(43 U.S.C. 2214(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘2020’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2030’’. 
SEC. 81313. RIO GRANDE PUEBLO IRRIGATION INFRA-
STRUCTURE REAUTHORIZATION. 
Section 9106 of the Omnibus Public Land Manage-
ment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–11; 123 Stat. 1304) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(4), by striking ‘‘2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee 
on Resources’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2020, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on En-
ergy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Natural Resources’’; and 
(2) in subsection (g)(2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$6,000,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘such sums as may be necessary’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘2010 through 2019’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2020 through 2029’’. 
SEC. 81314. PUERTO RICO WATERSMART GRANTS ELIGI-
BILITY. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Puerto Rico WaterSMART Grants Eligibility Act’’. 
(b) WATERSMART GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS.—Sec-
tion 9504 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act 
of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10364) is amended in subsection 
(a)(2)(A)— 
(1) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or’’; 
(2) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘or’’; and 
(3) by inserting after clause (iii), the following: 
‘‘(iv) Puerto Rico; and’’. 
CHAPTER 2—GROUNDWATER 
MANAGEMENT 
SEC. 81321. REAUTHORIZATION AND EXPANSION OF THE 
TRANSBOUNDARY 
AQUIFER 
ASSESSMENT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) DESIGNATION
OF PRIORITY TRANSBOUNDARY 
AQUIFERS.—Section 4(c)(2) of the United States-Mexico 
Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act (42 U.S.C. 1962 
note; Public Law 109–448) is amended by striking ‘‘New 
Mexico or Texas’’ and inserting ‘‘New Mexico, Texas, or 
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Arizona (other than an aquifer underlying Arizona and 
Sonora, Mexico, that is partially within the Yuma ground-
water basin designated by the order of the Director of the 
Arizona Department of Water Resources dated June 21, 
1984)’’. 
(b) REAUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
Section 8(a) of the United States-Mexico Trans-
boundary Aquifer Assessment Act (42 U.S.C. 1962 
note; Public Law 109–448) is amended by striking 
‘‘fiscal years 2007 through 2016’’ and inserting ‘‘fis-
cal years 2021 through 2029’’. 
(2) SUNSET OF AUTHORITY.—Section 9 of the 
United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer As-
sessment Act (42 U.S.C. 1962 note; Public Law 
109–448) is amended by striking ‘‘enactment of this 
Act’’ and inserting ‘‘enactment of the Moving For-
ward Act’’. 
SEC. 81322. GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT 
AND IMPROVEMENT. 
Section 9504(a) of the Omnibus Public Land Man-
agement Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10364(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
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(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by inserting ‘‘or carrying out any activity’’ 
after ‘‘any improvement’’; 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (A) through 
(E); 
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) 
through (H) as subparagraphs (B) through 
(D), respectively; 
(D) by inserting before subparagraph (B) 
(as so redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(A) to assist States and water users in 
complying with interstate compacts through 
temporary, voluntary, and compensated trans-
actions that decrease consumptive water use at 
a regional or watershed scale;’’; 
(E) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘to prevent’’ and inserting 
‘‘to achieve the prevention of’’; 
(F) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘to accelerate’’ and inserting 
‘‘to achieve the acceleration of’’; and 
(G) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesig-
nated)— 
(i) by striking clause (i) and inserting 
the following: 
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‘‘(i) to increase ecological resilience to 
climate change, including by enhancing 
natural water recharge infrastructure with-
in a floodplain or riparian wetland, by ad-
dressing climate-related impacts or vulner-
ability to the water supply of the United 
States;’’; 
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iii) to plan for or address the im-
pacts of drought.’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—The improvements 
or activities eligible for assistance under paragraph 
(1) may include improvements or activities— 
‘‘(A) using an approach— 
‘‘(i) to conserve water; 
‘‘(ii) to increase water use efficiency; 
‘‘(iii) to facilitate water markets; or 
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‘‘(iv) to enhance water management, 
including increasing the use of renewable 
energy in the management and delivery of 
water or increasing natural water recharge 
infrastructure; 
‘‘(B) to improve the condition of natural 
water recharge infrastructure; or 
‘‘(C) to achieve the acceleration of the 
adoption and use of advanced water treatment 
technologies to increase water supply.’’; and 
(4) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking 
subclause (II) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(II) to use the assistance pro-
vided under a grant or agreement to 
increase the consumptive use of water 
for agricultural operations above the 
pre-project levels, as determined pur-
suant to the law of the State in which 
the operation of the eligible applicant 
is located.’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (E)— 
(i) by striking clause (i) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(i) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
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‘‘(I) IN
GENERAL.—Except as 
provided in subclause (II), the Federal 
share of the cost of any infrastructure 
improvement or activity that is the 
subject of a grant or other agreement 
entered into between the Secretary 
and an eligible applicant under para-
graph (1) shall not exceed 50 percent 
of the cost of the infrastructure im-
provement or activity. 
‘‘(II) 
INCREASED
FEDERAL 
SHARE
FOR
CERTAIN
INFRASTRUC-
TURE
IMPROVEMENTS
AND
ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
‘‘(aa) IN
GENERAL.—The 
Federal share of the cost of an 
infrastructure 
improvement 
or 
activity described in item (bb) 
shall not exceed 75 percent of the 
cost of the infrastructure im-
provement or activity. 
‘‘(bb) INFRASTRUCTURE IM-
PROVEMENTS
AND
ACTIVITIES 
DESCRIBED.—An 
infrastructure 
improvement or activity referred 
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to in item (aa) is an infrastruc-
ture improvement or activity that 
provides benefits to consumptive 
water users and nonconsumptive 
ecological or recreational values 
in which— 
‘‘(AA) in the case of an 
infrastructure improvement 
or activity that conserves 
water, the conserved water 
is returned to a surface 
water source with ecological 
or recreational benefits; or 
‘‘(BB) in the case of 
other 
infrastructure 
im-
provements or activities, the 
majority of the benefits are 
nonconsumptive ecological or 
recreational benefits.’’; and 
(ii) in clause (ii), in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I), by striking ‘‘para-
graph (2)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (3)’’. 
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SEC. 81323. SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER WATER AVAIL-
ABILITY AND THE ENERGY NEXUS. 
Section 9508(d)(3) of the Omnibus Public Land 
Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10368(d)(3)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the semi-
colon and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) oil, gas, and mineral development 
under the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 
et seq.), the Act of May 11, 1938 (commonly 
known as the ‘Indian Mineral Leasing Act of 
1938’) (25 U.S.C. 396a et seq.), sections 2319 
through 2344 of the Revised Statutes (com-
monly known as the ‘Mining Law of 1872’) (30 
U.S.C. 22 et seq.), and the Outer Continental 
Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.);’’. 
CHAPTER 3—WATER CONSERVATION AND 
ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION 
SEC. 81331. DEFINITIONS. 
In this chapter: 
(1) BASIN.—The term ‘‘Basin’’— 
(A) is limited to areas within the State; 
and 
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(B) means each of— 
(i) the Upper Rio Grande Basin; 
(ii) the Middle Rio Grande Basin; 
(iii) the Lower Rio Grande Basin; 
(iv) the Lower Pecos River Basin; 
(v) the Gila River Basin; 
(vi) the Canadian River Basin; 
(vii) the San Francisco River Basin; 
and 
(viii) the San Juan River Basin. 
(2) DISTRICT.—The term ‘‘District’’ means— 
(A) the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy 
District; 
(B) the Elephant Butte Irrigation District; 
(C) the Carlsbad Irrigation District; 
(D) the Arch Hurley Conservancy District; 
(E) the Pecos Valley Artesian Conservation 
District; or 
(F) the San Juan Water Commission. 
(3) PUEBLO.—The term ‘‘Pueblo’’ means each 
of the following pueblos in the State: 
(A) Cochiti. 
(B) Santo Domingo. 
(C) San Felipe. 
(D) Santa Ana. 
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(E) Sandia. 
(F) Isleta. 
SEC. 81332. WATER ACQUISITION PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Commissioner of Reclamation, shall carry out in the 
Basins a water acquisition program in coordination with 
the other appropriate Federal agencies, State agencies, 
and non-Federal stakeholders, under which the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) make acquisitions, or assist the State or a 
District in making acquisitions, of water in the Ba-
sins by lease or purchase of water rights or contrac-
tual entitlements from willing lessors or sellers, con-
sistent with section 8 of the Act of June 17, 1902 
(43 U.S.C. 383), the Rio Grande Compact, and ap-
plicable State law relating to the acquisition and ad-
ministration of water rights; and 
(2) take any other actions, consistent with sec-
tion 8 of the Act of June 17, 1902 (43 U.S.C. 383), 
the Rio Grande Compact, and applicable State law, 
that the Secretary determines would achieve the pur-
poses of the water acquisition program described in 
subsection (b). 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the water acquisi-
tion program are— 
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(1) to enhance stream flow to benefit fish and 
wildlife (including endangered species), water qual-
ity, and river ecosystem restoration in the Basins; 
(2) to enhance stewardship and conservation of 
working land, water, and watersheds in the Basins, 
consistent with the purpose described in paragraph 
(1); and 
(3) to address water supply-demand imbalances 
in the Basins, consistent with State law and the pur-
pose described in paragraph (1). 
(c) COORDINATION.—To assist in developing and ad-
ministering the program, the Secretary may provide funds 
to the State, a District, or a federally established nonprofit 
entity with particular expertise in western water trans-
actions. 
(d) DISTRICT PROJECTS.—Subject to the Rio Grande 
Compact and applicable State law, the Secretary may de-
velop programs to provide— 
(1) cost-share assistance to a District to reduce 
water depletions by agricultural producers and 
irrigators in that District by making irrigation sys-
tem improvements and increasing system efficiency; 
(2) incentives to a District for the establish-
ment of a water leasing program from willing lessors 
for agricultural producers and irrigators in that Dis-
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trict to temporarily lease pre-1907 water rights (in-
stead of permanent severance from irrigable land) 
for the purpose of providing benefits to species listed 
as threatened or endangered under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and 
other river ecosystem benefits; and 
(3) cost-share assistance to a District to imple-
ment infrastructure or operational changes that will 
allow for effective management of a leasing program, 
while maintaining adequate water deliveries to other 
agricultural producers and irrigators. 
SEC. 81333. MIDDLE RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation 
with a District and in consultation with the Pueblos, may 
provide funding and technical assistance for the installa-
tion of metering and measurement devices and the con-
struction of check structures on irrigation diversions, ca-
nals, laterals, ditches, and drains— 
(1) to ensure the conservation and efficient use 
of water within that District by— 
(A) reducing actual consumptive use; or 
(B) not increasing the use of water; and 
(2) to improve the measurement and allocation 
of water, including water acquired through the water 
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acquisition 
program 
established 
under 
section 
81332. 
(b) RIO
GRANDE, SAN
ACACIA, 
AND
ISLETA 
REACHES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
for the development of a comprehensive plan for the 
San Acacia and Isleta reaches to plan, design, per-
mit, construct, and prioritize projects that balance 
river maintenance, water availability, use, and deliv-
ery, and ecosystem benefits, including— 
(A) planning, permitting, and construction 
of a pumping station at Bosque del Apache Na-
tional Wildlife Refuge for the purpose of more 
efficiently using water to provide— 
(i) a stable supply for the Refuge; and 
(ii) an efficient and reliable supply of 
water to the Rio Grande for the benefit of 
the endangered silvery minnow and South-
western willow flycatcher; 
(B) planning, permitting, and construction 
of a river channel realignment project near the 
Rio Grande mile-83 for the purpose of con-
veying water and sediment through the reach to 
Elephant Butte Reservoir and addressing river 
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channel aggradation while maintaining flood-
plain connectivity during the snowmelt runoff; 
(C) planning, permitting, and construction 
of a controlled outlet for the low flow convey-
ance channel to the Rio Grande between Fort 
Craig, New Mexico, and Rio Grande mile-60 for 
the purpose of water use and delivery, enhance-
ment and development of habitat areas, and 
possible creation of a single-channel river eco-
system; and 
(D) development of a Lower Reach plan— 
(i) to identify additional projects and 
maintenance activities with water use, sedi-
ment management, and delivery and eco-
system benefits; and 
(ii) to prioritize implementation of all 
projects and activities. 
(2) PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.—In carrying out 
this subsection, the Secretary shall provide a process 
for public participation and comment during plan 
development and alternative analysis. 
SEC. 
81334. 
SUSTAINING 
BIODIVERSITY 
DURING 
DROUGHTS. 
Section 9503(b) of the Omnibus Public Land Man-
agement Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10363(b)) is amended— 
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