§2357 Managed aquifer recharge study and working group

Summary

The Secretary must do a nationwide study to see how to use managed aquifer recharge at authorized water projects to help with drought, water resilience, and depleted aquifers. The Secretary must work with non‑Federal partners, including Tribal communities, and check local groundwater conditions. The study must look for ways to support non‑Federal groups, and the Secretary should coordinate with other federal agencies, states, regional and local governments, experts, and Tribes. At the request of a non‑Federal partner, the Secretary may do feasibility studies in places with long drought, low aquifers, or water shortages. The Secretary may do not more than 10 such studies. The federal share of each feasibility study is 90 percent. The Secretary should use the national study’s information when picking studies. Within 180 days after December 23, 2022, the Secretary must form a working group of Corps experts and outside stakeholders with experience in water supply, groundwater protection and recharge, recharge wells, dams that help recharge, groundwater science, combined surface/groundwater systems, and agricultural water use. The group will advise on the study and feasibility work, help raise awareness, and help prepare a report. Not later than 2 years after December 23, 2022, the Secretary must send a report to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works with the study and study results, data, recommendations for non‑Federal interests/States/local governments/Tribes, a status update on the Corps’ April 2020 report ("Managed Aquifer Recharge and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Water Security through Resilience", 2020–WP–01), and an evaluation of creating or changing a planning center of expertise with possible locations. Nothing here changes the non‑Federal share of construction costs under section 2213 or other law. Definitions: managed aquifer recharge — intentionally storing and treating water in underground aquifers for later use. managed aquifer recharge project — a water project that adds features to do that.