The Family Farm Alliance worked with congressional staffers last April to develop language that would require the Bureau of Reclamation to provide an update on all authorized storage studies and projects in the Western U.S. That language – offered by Rep. George Radanovich (CA) - was included in the final version of the Energy Bill. Section 1840 of the Energy Act of 2005 follows.

Explosive population growth in the West and Southwest is placing unprecedented demands on existing water supplies at the same time that environmental demands are reducing the amount of water available for human use and consumption. We believe that it is possible to meet the needs of cities and the environment without sacrificing Western irrigated agriculture.  To achieve that goal, we must expand the water supply in the West.  There must be more water stored and available to farms and cities.  Maintaining the status quo simply isn’t sustainable in the face of unstoppable population growth.

The recent Energy Bill provisions provide encouragement that Congress is paying more attention to this critical issue.

Dan Keppen

SEC. 1840. REPORT IDENTIFYING AND DESCRIBING THE STATUS OF POTENTIAL HYDROPOWER FACILITIES.

    (a) Report Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report identifying and describing the status of potential hydropower facilities included in water surface storage studies undertaken by the Secretary for projects that have not been completed or authorized for construction.

    (b) Report Contents.--The report shall include the following:

    (1) Identification of all surface storage studies authorized by Congress since the enactment of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (43 U.S.C. 485 et seq.).

    (2) The purposes of each project included within each study identified under paragraph (1).

    (3) The status of each study identified under paragraph (1), including for each study--

    (A) whether the study is completed or, if not completed, still authorized;

    (B) the level of analyses conducted at the feasibility and reconnaissance levels of review;

    (C) identifiable environmental impacts of each project included in the study, including to fish and wildlife, water quality, and recreation;

    (D) projected water yield from each such project;

    (E) beneficiaries of each such project;

    (F) the amount authorized and expended;

    (G) projected funding needs and timelines for completing the study (if applicable);

    (H) anticipated costs of each such project; and

    (I) other factors that might interfere with construction of any such project.

    (4) An identification of potential hydroelectric facilities that might be developed pursuant to each study identified under paragraph (1).

    (5) Applicable costs and benefits associated with potential hydroelectric production pursuant to each study.