sitive areas requiring emergency surface water 
flow augmentation; 
(C) the acquisition or assistance in the ac-
quisition of water from willing sellers, including 
on a voluntary, temporary, and compensated 
basis, to enhance stream flow for the benefit of 
fish and wildlife (including endangered species), 
water quality, river ecosystem restoration, and 
other beneficial purposes, to be carried out in 
accordance with the water acquisition program 
established under section 302; 
(D) agricultural and urban conservation 
and efficiency projects; 
(E) exchanges with any water district will-
ing to provide water to meet the emergency 
water needs of other water districts in return 
for the delivery of equivalent quantities of water 
later that year or in future years; 
(F) maintenance of cover crops to prevent 
public health impacts from severe dust storms; 
(G) emergency pumping projects for crit-
ical health and safety purposes; 
(H) activities to reduce water demand con-
sistent with a comprehensive program for envi-
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ronmental restoration and settlement of water 
rights claims; 
(I) the use of new or innovative on-farm 
water conservation technologies or methods that 
may— 
(i) assist in sustaining permanent 
crops in areas with severe water shortages; 
and 
(ii) make water available for other 
beneficial uses, provided that the assist-
ance cannot be used to increase the con-
sumptive use of water or increase deple-
tions under an interstate compact, as de-
termined in accordance with the applicable 
laws of the State in which the eligible 
project is located; 
(J) activities that protect, restore, or en-
hance fish and wildlife habitat or otherwise im-
prove environmental conditions, including water 
quantity or quality concerns and improved fish 
passage; 
(K) 
activities 
reducing 
or 
preventing 
groundwater depletion or promoting ground-
water recharge; 
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(L) technical assistance to improve existing 
irrigation practices to provide water supply ben-
efits; 
(M) the investigation of, and pilot projects 
for, brackish water development and aquifer 
storage and recovery; 
(N) the lining of irrigation ditches and ca-
nals to reduce water loss and improve effi-
ciency; 
(O) assistance to municipal water manage-
ment entities for water supply planning in prep-
aration for and in response to dry, critically 
dry, and below normal water years, including— 
(i) hydrological forecasting; 
(ii) identification of alternative water 
supply sources; and 
(iii) guidance on potential water 
transfer partners; and 
(P) any other assistance the Secretary de-
termines to be necessary— 
(i) to increase available water sup-
plies; 
(ii) to reduce water supply-demand 
imbalances in a hydrologic system; 
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(iii) to maintain the health of river 
ecosystems; or 
(iv) to mitigate drought impacts. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to provide fi-
nancial assistance under this subsection not more 
than $180,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 
2006 through 2024, of which not more than 
$30,000,000 shall be made available during that pe-
riod for the conduct of actions authorized under title 
I of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Re-
lief 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-
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ance and the Secretary has determined that the tem-
porary assistance is merited; 
‘‘(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. 104. RIO GRANDE PUEBLO IRRIGATION INFRASTRUC-
TURE 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 
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(2) in subsection (g)(2), by striking ‘‘2010 
through 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘2019 through 2029’’. 
TITLE II—GROUNDWATER 
MANAGEMENT 
SEC. 201. 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 
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 2020 through 2029’’. 
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(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 Western 
Water Security Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 202. 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)— 
(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 or reducing 
basin water supply-demand imbalances, includ-
ing through temporary, voluntary, and com-
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pensated transactions that decrease consump-
tive 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: 
‘‘(i) to increase ecological resilience to 
climate change, including by enhancing 
natural water storage within a floodplain 
or riparian wetland, by addressing climate- 
related impacts or vulnerability 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.’’; 
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(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 
‘‘(iv) to enhance water management, 
including increasing the use of renewable 
energy in the management and delivery of 
water or increasing natural water storage; 
‘‘(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 
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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.— 
‘‘(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.— 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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‘‘(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)’’. 
SEC. 203. 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-
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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.);’’. 
TITLE 
III—WATER 
CONSERVA-
TION AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
RESTORATION 
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) BASIN.—The term ‘‘Basin’’— 
(A) is limited to areas within the State; 
and 
(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 the 
Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District. 
(3) PUEBLO.—The term ‘‘Pueblo’’ means each 
of the following pueblos in the State: 
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(A) Cochiti. 
(B) Santo Domingo. 
(C) San Felipe. 
(D) Santa Ana. 
(E) Sandia. 
(F) Isleta. 
SEC. 302. 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 the 
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-
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poses of the water acquisition program described in 
subsection (b). 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the water acquisi-
tion program are— 
(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, the District, or a federally established non-
profit entity with particular expertise in western water 
transactions. 
(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 the District to re-
duce water depletions by agricultural producers and 
irrigators in the District to reduce water depletions 
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by making irrigation system improvements and in-
creasing system efficiency; 
(2) incentives to the District for the establish-
ment of a water leasing program from willing lessors 
for agricultural producers and irrigators in the Dis-
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 the District to im-
plement infrastructure or operational changes that 
will allow for effective management of a leasing pro-
gram, while maintaining adequate water deliveries to 
other agricultural producers and irrigators. 
SEC. 303. MIDDLE RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in cooperation 
with the District and in consultation with the Pueblos, 
may provide funding and technical assistance for the in-
stallation of metering and measurement devices and the 
construction of check structures on irrigation diversions, 
canals, laterals, ditches, and drains— 
(1) to ensure the conservation and efficient use 
of water within the District by— 
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(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 
acquisition program established under section 302. 
(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-
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veying water and sediment through the reach to 
Elephant Butte Reservoir and addressing river 
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. 
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