Dakota Water Resources Act Amendments of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator John Hoeven
Introduced
Summary
Expanded federal water funding for the Dakota region. This bill would authorize and reallocate large, project-specific federal dollars to finish and expand state, tribal, municipal, rural, and industrial water supply projects in the Dakotas. It would add cost-indexing to several authorizations and expand the Natural Resources Trust to include the new project category.
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- Tribal communities: Directs $743 million, indexed, to four named reservation rural water systems and provides $12 million for a Lake Traverse feasibility study that can move to construction if found feasible.
- Named projects and rural districts: Authorizes indexed, project-specific funding including $404 million for the McClusky Canal/Missouri River North alternative and $120 million to complete the Northwest Area Water Supply treatment plant.
- Project rules and planning: Allows transfers among the four main projects with a cap that any project's initial allocation cannot rise more than 50 percent from transfers, requires final engineering reports within two years for several projects, and applies indexing to key large authorizations to reflect construction cost changes.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Big water projects for North Dakota
If enacted, the bill would authorize about $637 million (as indexed) for four named North Dakota water projects. It would give $120 million to the Northwest Area Biota treatment and pump station, $404 million to the Eastern North Dakota alternate supply McClusky Canal/Missouri River option, $50 million to the Southwest Pipeline work, and $63 million to rural water districts and related treatment and distribution. Funds could be transferred among these four projects, but no project's initial amount could be increased by more than 50 percent by transfers. The Secretary would be able to use money for final engineering reports for the Southwest Pipeline and the rural districts, and those reports would be due within two years of enactment.
New tribal rural water funding
If enacted, the bill would authorize $743 million (as indexed) to carry out section 7(d) for five rural and tribal water systems. Caps would be: up to $118 million for Spirit Lake, $275 million for Three Affiliated Tribes, $240 million for Standing Rock, $98 million for Turtle Mountain, and $12 million for Lake Traverse. The $12 million for Lake Traverse would pay for a feasibility study and could start construction only after the Secretary finds the project technically and financially feasible under reclamation law. The Secretary could also use funds to finish final engineering reports, which would be due within two years of enactment.
Construction-cost indexing for water projects
If enacted, the bill would make several dollar caps in the Dakota Water Resources Act rise with construction-cost indexes. It would index two $200 million caps and related b(2) funds to costs after the 2000 Act, index a $50 million cap to costs after the 2026 appropriations act, and index the new Dakota authorizations and the $743 million tribal allocation to costs after this bill's enactment. The bill would keep all other authorized cost ceilings unchanged.
More projects qualify for Trust funds
If enacted, the bill would add the new Dakota project category to the Natural Resources Trust. Projects that qualify under the new subsection (b)(1)(D) would become eligible for Trust support. The change would alter eligibility only and would not itself appropriate money.
New $75 million for Natural Resources Trust
If enacted, the bill would authorize $75 million to carry out section 11 of Public Law 89-108. The authorized funds would remain available until expended. The provision does not specify further allocation details.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
John Hoeven
ND • R
Cosponsors
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 3/10/2026
Kevin Cramer
ND • R
Sponsored 3/10/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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