§390g–2 Phase II of groundwater recharge demonstration program

Summary

The Bureau must design, build, and run demonstration projects to recharge groundwater in the High Plains States and other Reclamation Act States, as long as state water laws and interstate water agreements allow it. The Secretary, through the Bureau, must hire those states to study how to divide project costs among the people who benefit and to check the economic and legal feasibility of using groundwater recharge in water projects. Within 12 months of starting phase II and every year after, the Secretary must send interim reports to Congress on progress and findings about the demonstrations and the study. Within five years the Secretary must send a summary report that includes a detailed evaluation of the demonstrations, the study results, specific recommendations on where and how the Bureau could build operational recharge projects, and whether those projects can be added to existing reclamation projects. Each demonstration project ends five years after construction finishes. At the end of phase II the Secretary must send a final report to Congress with a detailed evaluation of the projects.