[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 23 (Thursday, March 3, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2026-S2027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON:
  S. 519. A bill to amend the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources 
Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 to authorize additional 
projects and activities under that Act, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a bill that is 
vital for water conservation in my home State of Texas. This 
legislation would amend The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources and 
Conservation Improvement Act of 2000, which was passed with Unanimous 
Consent in the 106th Congress, to authorize work needed to conserve and 
enhance water supplies in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It would do so 
by improving the water infrastructure used by farmers, ranchers, 
municipalities and a growing population.
  Improving water conveyance infrastructure is the top priority for 
enhancing water conservation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Currently, 
unprecedented growth coupled with Mexico's past failure to comply with 
the 1944 Water treaty, reinforces the dire need for water conservation. 
The Lower Rio Grande Valley depends upon an adequate supply of water. 
Studies show that water losses resulting from seepage, spills and 
evaporation exceed 68 billion gallons of water per year, underscoring 
the pressing demand for improvements which will ensure efficient 
conservation of water.
  By enacting this legislation, 19 additional water districts will 
enhance their ability to conserve their resources. Residents in the 
Lower Rio Grande Valley will not be forced to rely on canal systems 
subject to seepage and evaporation. Improving irrigation systems and 
updating this 100-year-old water distribution system will provide 
citizens in South Texas with a sufficient supply of one of nature's 
most valuable resources. Rather than waiting for the unpredictability 
of Mother Nature to increase water resources through rainstorms, these 
communities can rely on more effective water systems.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this measure to 
help the citizens of the Lower Rio Grande Valley better conserve their 
water resources. I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

[[Page S2027]]

                                 S. 519

       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 ``Lower Rio Grande Valley 
     Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES 
                   UNDER THE LOWER RIO GRANDE WATER CONSERVATION 
                   AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Additional Projects.--Section 4(a) of the Lower Rio 
     Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement 
     Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-576; 114 Stat. 3067) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(20) In Cameron County, Texas, Bayview Irrigation 
     District No. 11, water conservation and improvement projects 
     as identified in the March 3, 2004, engineering report by NRS 
     Consulting Engineers at a cost of $1,425,219.
       ``(21) In the Cameron County, Texas, Brownsville Irrigation 
     District, water conservation and improvement projects as 
     identified in the February 11, 2004 engineering report by NRS 
     Consulting Engineers at a cost of $722,100.
       ``(22) In the Cameron County, Texas Harlingen Irrigation 
     District No. 1, water conservation and improvement projects 
     as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report by 
     Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $4,173,950.
       ``(23) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County 
     Irrigation District No. 2, water conservation and improvement 
     projects as identified in the February 11, 2004 engineering 
     report by NRS Consulting Engineers at a cost of $8,269,576.
       ``(24) In the Cameron County, Texas, Cameron County 
     Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation and improvement 
     projects as identified in an engineering report by Turner 
     Collie Braden, Inc., at a cost of $5,607,300.
       ``(25) In the Cameron County, Texas, Adams Gardens 
     Irrigation District No. 19, water conservation and 
     improvement projects as identified in the March, 2004 
     engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of 
     $2,500,000.
       ``(26) In the Hidalgo and Cameron Counties, Texas, Hidalgo 
     and Cameron Counties Irrigation District No. 9, water 
     conservation and improvement projects as identified by the 
     February 11 engineering report by NRS Consulting Engineers at 
     a cost of $8,929,152.
       ``(27) In the Hidalgo and Willacy Counties, Texas, Delta 
     Lake Irrigation District, water conservation and improvement 
     projects as identified in the March, 2004 engineering report 
     by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $8,000,000.
       ``(28) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County 
     Irrigation District No. 2, a water conservation and 
     improvement project identified in the engineering reports 
     attached to a letter dated February 11, 2004, from the 
     district's general manager, at a cost of $5,312,475.
       ``(29) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County 
     Irrigation District No. 1, water conservation and improvement 
     projects identified in an engineering report dated March 5, 
     2004 by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $5,595,018.
       ``(30) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County 
     Irrigation District No. 6, water conservation and improvement 
     projects as identified in the March, 2004, engineering report 
     by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $3,450,000.
       ``(31) In the Hidalgo County, Texas Santa Cruz Irrigation 
     District No. 15, water conservation and improvement projects 
     as identified in an engineering report dated March 5, 2004 by 
     Melden and Hunt at a cost of $4,609,000.
       ``(32) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Engelman Irrigation 
     District, water conservation and improvement projects as 
     identified in an engineering report dated March 5, 2004 by 
     Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,251,480.
       ``(33) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Valley Acres Water 
     District, water conservation and improvement projects as 
     identified in an engineering report dated March, 2004 by 
     Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of $500,000.
       ``(34) In the Hudspeth County, Texas, Hudspeth County 
     Conservation and Reclamation District No. 1, water 
     conservation and improvement projects as identified in the 
     March, 2004, engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at 
     a cost of $1,500,000.
       ``(35) In the El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County Water 
     Improvement District No. 1, water conservation and 
     improvement projects as identified in the March, 2004, 
     engineering report by Axiom-Blair Engineering at a cost of 
     $10,500,000.
       ``(36) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Donna Irrigation 
     District, water conservation and improvement projects 
     identified in an engineering report dated March 22, 2004 by 
     Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of $2,500,000.
       ``(37) In the Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County 
     Irrigation District No. 16, water conservation and 
     improvement projects identified in an engineering report 
     dated March 22, 2004 by Melden and Hunt, Inc. at a cost of 
     $2,800,000.
       ``(38) The United Irrigation District of Hidalgo County 
     water conservation and improvement projects identified in a 
     March 2004 engineering report by Sigler Winston, Greenwood 
     and Associates at a cost of $6,067,021.''.
       (b) Inclusion of Activities to Conserve Water or Improve 
     Supply; Transfers Among Projects.--Section 4 of the Lower Rio 
     Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement 
     Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-576; 114 Stat. 3067) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Inclusion of Activities to Conserve Water or Improve 
     Supply.--In addition to the activities identified in the 
     engineering reports referred to in subsection (a), each 
     project that the Secretary conducts or participates in under 
     subsection (a) may include any of the following:
       ``(1) The replacement of irrigation canals and lateral 
     canals with buried pipelines.
       ``(2) The impervious lining of irrigation canals and 
     lateral canals.
       ``(3) Installation of water level, flow measurement, pump 
     control, and telemetry systems.
       ``(4) The renovation and replacement of pumping plants.
       ``(5) Other activities that will result in the conservation 
     of water or an improved supply of water.
       ``(d) Transfers Among Projects.--Of amounts made available 
     for a project referred to in any of paragraphs (20) through 
     (38) of subsection (a), the Secretary may transfer and use 
     for another such project up to 10 percent.''.

     SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR LOWER RIO 
                   GRANDE CONSTRUCTION.

       Section 4(e) of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources 
     Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-576; 
     114 Stat. 3067) (as redesignated by section 2(b)) is amended 
     by inserting before the period the following: ``for projects 
     referred to in paragraphs (1) through (19) of subsection (a), 
     and $42,356,145 (2004 dollars) for projects referred to in 
     paragraphs (20) through (38) of subsection (a)''.
                                 ______