August 15, 2025
Mr. LaMalfa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to facilitate the transfer of water from the Orland Project to the Central Valley Project.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Orland Project Water Management Act
.
Sec. 2. Amendment to Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991
Section 104 of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2214) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d) respectively;
(2)
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
(b) Exception
The Secretary may make available, upon the request of the Orland Unit Water Users Association and through the programs and authorities established under this title, water from the Orland Project to the Sacramento Canal Unit of the Central Valley Project at any time, without regard to water year type, if the Secretary determines that such action is consistent with the purposes of the Central Valley Project.; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(e) Rules of construction
Nothing in this section may be construed to—
(1)
be a new or supplemental benefit for the purposes of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (43 U.S.C. 390aa et seq.);
(2)
affect any valid or vested water right in existence as of the date of the enactment of this subsection;
(3)
affect any application for water rights pending before the date of the enactment of this subsection; or
(4)
result in any redirected impacts to the Orland Project from a temporary contract for the supply of water executed under this section.