§10363 Reclamation Climate Change and Water Program

Summary

The Secretary must create a climate change adaptation program for the water managed by Reclamation. The program must work with the Administrator and other federal and state agencies to check how climate change affects water amounts in each service area and to make plans, as much as possible, at the watershed and aquifer level to deal with shortages, conflicts, and other impacts. The program must use the best available science (working with USGS, NOAA, the program, and state water agencies), assess risks in each major reclamation river basin (including changes in snowpack, runoff timing and amount, groundwater recharge and discharge, higher water demand from warmer temperatures, and more reservoir evaporation), and study how supply changes will affect water deliveries, hydropower, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, listed species, water quality (including salinity), ecological resiliency, and flood control. The Secretary must develop and consider strategies (like changing reservoir rules, new management or restoration plans, conservation, better models, and storage) and make a monitoring plan with other federal and state partners. A report to Congress is due within 2 years after March 30, 2009, and every 5 years after. The Secretary may do feasibility studies with non‑Federal partners; the federal share of study costs is generally up to 50% unless hardship, and non‑Federal shares can be in‑kind. This does not change existing Reclamation authorities. Money is authorized as needed for fiscal years 2009 through 2023, available until spent.