Western Water Reinvestment Act

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.

Extends key Western water programs and creates new payments for farmers to protect waterbird habitats.

This bill would extend several programs that help Western states manage water, restore ecosystems, and plan for droughts. It would also create a new program to pay farmers in Western states to create and maintain habitats for waterbirds and shorebirds. These changes aim to improve water availability, support wildlife, and make communities more resilient to drought.

What Would Change

Today, several federal programs that support water management and ecosystem restoration in Western states are set to expire soon, and there isn't a dedicated program to pay farmers for waterbird habitats. If this bill passes, many of these programs would be extended for several more years, ensuring continued support for water projects and drought preparedness. Additionally, a new program would be created to offer financial assistance to farmers who create and maintain waterbird and shorebird habitats, and environmental reviews for small aquatic restoration projects would be streamlined.

Key Provisions

Extends permission for the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program until 2031.
Extends permission for the Reclamation Basin Study Program until 2033.
Sets aside $40 million for each government budget year from 2027 to 2031 for the Cooperative Watershed Management Program, with improved grant amounts and expanded technical assistance.
Increases the total amount of money that can be set aside for the WaterSMART program by $400 million, to $1.4 billion.
Creates a new program to pay farmers in Western states to create and maintain waterbird and shorebird habitats, setting aside $3.5 million each year from 2027 to 2031.
Requires the government to create drought plans every three years for important fisheries in Western states, setting aside $25 million for the 2027 budget year for related recovery efforts.

View on Congress.gov

S 5402 · 119th Congress · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 9/10

Western Water Reinvestment Act

What Would Change

Key Provisions

Lobbying Activity