Bureau of Reclamation drops boring quarterly water contract report
Published Date: 4/8/2025
Notice
Summary
The Bureau of Reclamation shares updates on water service contracts that affect farmers, communities, and businesses relying on project water. Some contracts are new, some ended, and others changed, with public notices and meetings planned before final decisions. These actions help manage water resources wisely and may impact water availability and costs soon.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Short‑ and Long‑Term Surplus Water Contracts
If you rely on Bureau of Reclamation project water (for farming or municipal use), Reclamation is offering short‑term or interim contracts that can provide up to 10,000 acre‑feet of water per year (Missouri Basin: up to 10,000 acre‑feet for terms up to 1 year; other regions: up to 10,000 acre‑feet for terms up to 5 years). Reclamation also offers long‑term contracts that can provide up to 1,000 acre‑feet per year for terms up to 40 years in some regions.
Per‑Acre‑Foot Charges on Select Projects
Some Reclamation projects specify annual per‑acre‑foot charges: Rogue River Basin and Willamette Basin water service contracts are listed at $8 per acre‑foot per annum, while Columbia Basin Project municipal and industrial water service contracts are listed at $48 per acre‑foot per annum. These rates apply to water service contracts identified in the notice.
Specific Transfers of Municipal Water Entitlements
The notice lists specific transfers and assignments of municipal and Colorado River water entitlements, for example a proposed transfer of 3,900 acre‑feet per year of Central Arizona Project M&I water to the City of Phoenix and a proposed transfer of 3,932 acre‑feet per year to the City of Surprise (raising Surprise's entitlement to 14,181 acre‑feet per year). The notice also identifies other assignments and partial assignments (examples include up to 4,000 acre‑feet and up to 1,300 acre‑feet in California).
Contracts to Repay Reimbursable and XM Costs
Across multiple regions, the notice states that water user entities will enter into contracts requiring payment of reimbursable costs and contracts for extraordinary maintenance (XM) funded pursuant to federal laws (for example, title IX of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and title IX, subtitle G of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act). These contracts assign reimbursable and XM payment responsibilities to the water user entities.
Leases and Purchases to Stabilize River Flows and Wildlife
Reclamation is leasing and purchasing water to stabilize flows and support fish and wildlife, including actions such as leasing approximately 7,308 acre‑feet from San Juan‑Chama Project contractors in 2022 and authorizing temporary water acquisition agreements for 5,000 to 200,000 acre‑feet for fish and wildlife purposes for terms up to 5 years. One five‑year storage agreement in Abiquiu Reservoir is described with options to extend.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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