[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6088 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6088

  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water 
     resources in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2006

  Mrs. Wilson of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was 
                 referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of water 
     resources in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``New Mexico Aquifer Assessment Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. NEW MEXICO WATER RESOURCES STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey (referred to in this 
Act as the ``Secretary''), in coordination with the State of New Mexico 
(referred to in this Act as the ``State''), shall, in accordance with 
this Act and any other applicable law, conduct a study of water 
resources in the State, including the following:
            (1) A survey of groundwater resources, including an 
        analysis of--
                    (A) aquifers in the State, including the quantity 
                of water in the aquifers;
                    (B) the availability of groundwater resources for 
                human use;
                    (C) the salinity of groundwater resources;
                    (D) the potential of the groundwater resources to 
                recharge;
                    (E) the interaction between groundwater and surface 
                water;
                    (F) the susceptibility of the aquifers to 
                contamination; and
                    (G) any other relevant criteria; and
            (2) A characterization of surface and bedrock geology, 
        including the effect of the geology on groundwater yield and 
        quality.
    (b) Study Areas.--The study carried out under subsection (a) shall 
include the Salt Basin, the Tularosa Basin, and the middle Rio Grande 
Aquifer in the State.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Resources of the 
House of Representatives a report that describes the results of the 
study.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
                                 <all>