Sec. 322. Increasing opportunities for agricultural conservation
308 words·~1 min read·
/bill/114/s/1894/is/section-322·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to enter into voluntary agreements with public water agencies or other entities that receive water from any project operated by the Bureau of Reclamation to implement water conservation programs. Of the quantity of water conserved as a result of the exercise of the authority of the Secretary under subsection (a)— 25 percent shall be retained by the public water agency or entity with which the Secretary has entered into a water conservation agreement; and 75 percent shall be retained by the Secretary, of which— 33 percent shall be used or marketed on an annual basis for purposes that will promote groundwater recharge and conservation; and 67 percent shall be used on an annual basis for refuge water supply or other authorized project purposes.
For good reason, the Secretary and the public water agency or entity with which the Secretary has entered into a water conservation agreement may agree to modify the percentages of uses of the water conserved specified in subsection
(b)in a particular instance. Any existing water service or repayment contractor within the project service area may contribute funds for the implementation of the water conservation agreement. If a contractor provides contributed funds pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to that water service or repayment contractor some or all of the water described in subsection (b)(2)(B), but not to exceed the proportion of funds contributed by the contractor. If a contractor contributes over 50 percent of the project cost, the Secretary may reach an agreement with the contractor to provide some of the water described in subsection (b)(2)(A) for the contractor to use for groundwater recharge and conservation, subject to the condition that the contractor may not receive a higher proportion of the water conserved than the proportion of the funds contributed by the contractor.