43 U.S.C. § 1477: Snow water supply forecasting

Summary

Creates a Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program inside the Department of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior must build a program plan with other federal agencies and use new snow-measuring tools like synthetic aperture radar, laser altimetry, and other promising technologies when making water supply forecasts. The Secretary must send Congress a report by October 1, 2021 that summarizes those technologies, explains environmental and water-reliability benefits, and describes how agencies will work together. After that report, the Secretary must work with partners to improve snowpack measurements in specific watersheds, focusing on basins that did not have these activities on December 27, 2020, and on testing or improving forecasting technology. Data can be shared with partners through agreements. The Secretary may make cooperative agreements and provide nonreimbursable matching funds with partners such as water and irrigation districts, universities, state and federal agencies, private companies, and non‑profits, while still following all federal and state environmental laws. Not later than four years after December 27, 2020, the Secretary must report to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. That report must list the basins and sub‑basins using the technologies and describe each technology, and must list the Federal agencies and partners in each basin. Up to $15,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for the program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

Title 43, §1477

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Short title

This section may be cited as the “Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act”.

(b)Definition of program

In this section, the term “program” means the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program established by subsection (c).

(c)Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program

(1)Program establishment

The Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program is hereby established within the Department of the Interior.

(2)Program implementation

To implement the program, the Secretary shall—

(A)develop the program framework in coordination with other Federal agencies pursuant to subsection (d), culminating in the report required under subsection (d)(3); and

(B)after submitting the report required by subsection (d)(3), implement activities to improve snowpack measurement in particular watersheds pursuant to subsection (e).

(d)Development of program framework in coordination with other Federal agencies

(1)Snowpack measurement data

When determining water supply forecasts or allocations to Federal water contractors, the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, shall incorporate, to the greatest extent practicable, information from emerging technologies for snowpack measurement, such as—

(A)synthetic aperture radar;

(B)laser altimetry; and

(C)other emerging technologies that the Secretary determines are likely to provide more accurate or timely snowpack measurement data.

(2)Coordination

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate data use and collection efforts with other Federal agencies that use or may benefit from the use of emerging technologies for snowpack measurement.

(3)Emerging technologies report

Not later than October 1, 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that—

(A)summarizes the use of emerging technologies pursuant to this section;

(B)describes benefits derived from the use of technologies summarized under subparagraph (A) related to the environment and increased water supply reliability; and

(C)describes how Federal agencies will coordinate to implement emerging technologies.

(e)Program implementation

(1)Activities implementing framework

After submitting the report required under subsection (d)(3), the Secretary shall participate with program partners in implementing activities to improve snowpack measurement in particular watersheds.

(2)Focus

The program shall focus on activities that will maintain, establish, expand, or advance snowpack measurement consistent with the report required by subsection (d)(3), with an emphasis on—

(A)enhancing activities in river basins to achieve improved snow and water supply forecasting results;

(B)activities in river basins where snow water supply forecasting related activities described in this section are not occurring on December 27, 2020; and

(C)demonstrating or testing new, or improving existing, snow and water supply forecasting technology.

(3)Information sharing

The Secretary may provide information collected and analyzed under this section to program partners through appropriate mechanisms, including interagency agreements with Federal agencies, States, State agencies, or a combination thereof, leases, contracts, cooperative agreements, grants, loans, and memoranda of understanding.

(4)Program partners

Program partners with whom the Secretary enters into cooperative agreements pursuant to paragraph (5) may include water districts, irrigation districts, water associations, universities, State agencies, other Federal agencies, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and other entities, as determined by the Secretary.

(5)Cooperative agreements

The Secretary may—

(A)enter into cooperative agreements with program partners to allow the program to be administered efficiently and cost effectively through cost-sharing or by providing additional in-kind resources necessary for program implementation; and

(B)provide nonreimbursable matching funding for programmatic and operational activities under this section in consultation with program partners.

(6)Environmental laws

Nothing in this section shall modify any obligation of the Secretary to comply with applicable Federal and State environmental laws in carrying out this section.

(f)Program implementation report

Not later than 4 years after December 27, 2020, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, that includes—

(1)a list of basins and sub-basins for which snowpack measurement technologies are being used under the program, including a description of each technology used; and

(2)a list of Federal agencies and program partners participating in each basin or sub-basin listed in paragraph (1).

(g)Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000, in the aggregate, for fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

References in Text

This section, referred to in subsecs. (b), (d)(3)(A), (e)(2)(B), (3), (5)(B), (6), and (g), was in the original “this Act”, which was translated as meaning section 1111 of Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3249, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Definitions For definition of “Secretary” as used in this section, see section 1115 of div. FF of Pub. L. 116–260, set out as a note under section 2330c of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.

§1477 Snow Water Supply Forecasting

Summary

Title 43, §1477

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

References in Text

Citations & Metadata