Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000
PL 106-576 (S.1761), enacted 12/28/2000

PUBLIC LAW 106-576—DEC. 28, 2000 
114 STAT. 3065 
Public Law 106-576 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To direct the Secretary of the Interior, through the Biireau of Reclamation, to 
conserve and enhance the water supplies of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the "Lower Rio Grande Valley Water 
Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000". 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMISSIONER.—The term "Commissioner" means the 
Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. 
(2) SECRETARY.—^The term "Secretary" means the Secretary 
of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner. 
(3) STATE.—The term "State" means the Texas Water 
Development Board and any other authorized entity of the 
State of Texas. 
(4) PROGRAM AREA.—^The term "program area" means— 
(A) the counties in the State of Texas in the Rio Grande 
Regional Water Planning Area known as Region "M" as 
designated by the Texas Water Development Board; and 
(B) the counties of Hudspeth and El Paso, Texas. 
SEC. 3. LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION AND IMPROVE-
MENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—^The Secretary, acting pursuant to the Rec-
lamation Act of 1902 (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388) and 
Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, shall under-
take a program in cooperation with the State, water users in 
the program area, and other non-Federal entities, to investigate 
and identify opportunities to improve the supply of water for the 
program area as provided in this Act. The program shall include 
the review of studies or planning reports (or both) prepared by 
any competent engineering entity for projects designed to conserve 
and transport raw water in the program area. As part of the 
program, the Secretary shall evaluate alternatives in the program 
area that could be used to improve water supplies, including the 
following: 
(1) Lining irrigation canals. 
(2) Increasing the use of pipelines, flow control structures, 
meters, and associated appurtenances of water supply facilities. 
(b) PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.—^Within 6 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
Dec. 28, 2000 
[S. 1761] 
Lower Rio 
Grande Valley 
Water Resources 
Conservation and 
Improvement Act 
of 2000. 
Texas. 
Deadline. 
PubUcation. 
114 STAT. 3066 
PUBLIC LAW 106-576—DEC. 28, 2000 
the State, shall develop and publish criteria to determine which 
projects would qualify and have the highest priority for financing 
under this Act. Such criteria shall address, at a minimum— 
(1) how the project relates to the near- and long-term 
water demands and supplies in the study area, including how 
the project would affect the need for development of new or 
expanded water supplies; 
(2) the relative amount of water (acre feet) to be conserved 
pursuant to the project; 
(3) whether the project would provide operational efficiency 
improvements or achieve water, energy, or economic savings 
(or any combination of the foregoing) at a rate of acre feet 
of water or kilowatt energy saved per dollar expended on the 
construction of the project; and 
(4) if the project proponents have met the requirements 
specified in subsection (c). 
(c) PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—^A project sponsor seeking Federal 
funding under this program shall— 
Reports. 
(1) provide a report, prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation 
or prepared by any competent engineering entity and reviewed 
by the Bureau of Reclamation, that includes, among other 
matters— 
(A) the total estimated project cost; 
(B) an analysis showing how the project would reduce, 
postpone, or eliminate development of new or expanded 
water supplies; 
(C) a description of conservation measures to be taken 
pursuant to the project plans; 
(D) the near- and long-term water demands and sup-
plies in the study area; and 
(E) engineering plans and designs that demonstrate 
that the project would provide operational 
efficiency 
improvements or achieve water, energy, or economic 
savings (or any combination of the foregoing) at a rate 
of acre feet of water or kilowatt energy saved per dollar 
expended on the construction of the project; 
(2) provide a project plan, including a general map showing 
the location of the proposed physical features, conceptusd 
engineering drawings of structures, and general standards for 
design; and 
(3) sign a cost-sharing agreement with the Secretary that 
commits the non-Federal project sponsor to funding its propor-
tionate share of the project's construction costs on an annual 
basis. 
(d) FINANCIAL CAPABILITY.—Before providing funding for a 
project to the non-Federal project sponsor, the Secretary shall deter-
mine that the non-Federal project sponsor is financially capable 
of funding the project's non-Federal share of the project's costs. 
(e) REVIEW PERIOD.—^Within 1 year after the date a project 
is submitted to the Secretary for approval, the Secretary, subject 
to the availability of appropriations, shall determine whether the 
project meets the criteria established pursuant to this section. 
(f) REPORT PREPARATION; REIMBURSEMENT.—Project sponsors 
may choose to contract with the Secretary to prepare the reports 
required under this section. All costs associated with the prepara-
tion of the reports by the Secretary shall be 50 percent reimbursable 
by the non-Federal sponsor. 
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PUBLIC LAW 106-576—DEC. 28,2000 
114 STAT. 3067 
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(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
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to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
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$2,000,000. 
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SEC. 4. LOWER RIO GRANDE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION. 
(a) PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.—If the Secretary determines 
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that any of the following projects meet the review criteria and 
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project requirements, as set forth in section 3, the Secretary may 
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conduct or participate in funding engineering work, infrastructure 
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construction, and improvements for the purpose of conserving and 
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transporting raw water through that project: 
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(1) In the Hidalgo County, Texas Irrigation District #1, 
a pipeline project identified in the Melden & Hunt, Inc. 
engineering study dated July 6, 2000 as the Curry Main Pipe-
line Project. 
(2) In the Cameron County, Texas La Feria Irrigation 
District #3, a distribution system improvement project identi-
fied by the 1993 engineering study by Sigler, Winston, 
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Greenwood and Associates, Inc. 
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(3) In the Cameron County, Texas Irrigation District #2 
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canal rehabilitation and pumping plant replacement as identi-
fied as Job Number 48-0554(>-002 in a report by Turner Collie 
& Braden, Inc. dated August 12, 1998. 
(4) In the Harlingen Irrigation District Cameron #1 Irriga-
tion District a project of meter installation and canal lining 
as identified in a proposal submitted to the Texas Water 
Development Board dated April 28, 2000. 
(b) CONSTRUCTION COST SHARE.—The non-Federal share of the 
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costs of any construction carried out under, or with assistance 
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provided under, this section shall be 50 percent. Not more than 
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40 percent of the costs of such an activity may be paid by the 
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State. The remainder of the non-Federal share may include in-
kind contributions of goods and services, and funds previously spent 
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on feasibility and engineering studies. 
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(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
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$10,000,000. 
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Approved December 28, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1761: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
Oct. 27, considered and passed Senate. 
Dec. 4, considered and passed House, amended. 
Dec. 15, Senate concurred in House amendment.