H.R. 9512: Doug LaMalfa Sacramento River Basin Water Security and Reliability Act of 2026

This bill would update and expand federal water-management efforts in the Sacramento River Basin, with a focus on water storage, habitat restoration, and project coordination.

What the bill would do

• Extend the federal water storage program under the WIIN Act by moving a key feasibility deadline from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2041, and keeping the program in effect.
• Allow federal funding for certain ongoing costs of state-led water storage projects that already received WIIN Act assistance. The federal government could pay up to 50% of the annual operations, maintenance, and replacement costs tied to the projects’ public benefits. These funds would not have to be repaid.
• Authorize $500 million for fiscal years 2028 through 2037 for Sacramento River Basin restoration and recovery activities. Eligible uses include:
  • habitat restoration and gravel or rearing-area additions,
  • fish passage improvements and barrier removal,
  • monitoring and temperature-modeling work for water operations,
  • floodplain and aquatic habitat projects,
  • fish hatchery modernization or construction,
  • fish screens and related improvements,
  • reintroduction of native fish, and
  • structural or operational improvements needed to support these activities.
• Create a federal leadership committee for the Sacramento River Basin within 180 days. The committee would bring together federal agencies involved in water, fish, land, conservation, and environmental oversight to coordinate projects, reduce regulatory and procedural barriers, align funding and programs, support a floodplain coordination agreement, recommend investment priorities, and report annually to Congress.
• Let certain temporary water transfer revenues be kept by the transferor instead of going into the federal reclamation fund. Those retained funds could be used for drought resilience upgrades, extraordinary maintenance, or dam safety projects, subject to conditions and reporting requirements. Unused reserve funds after 10 years would be sent to the reclamation fund.

Limits and protections in the bill

• The bill says it does not change existing rules under the WIIN Act’s section 4012.
• It says it does not alter obligations under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act.
• It says it does not change settlement contracts, exchange contracts, or the priority of the Friant Division over other Central Valley Project divisions.
• It says it does not preempt California water law.
• It says it does not change tribal trust responsibilities, treaty rights, reserved water rights, or related self-determination rights.
• It says it does not change the Endangered Species Act or any biological opinions governing Central Valley Project and State Water Project operations.

Relevant Companies

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