[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 22722]]

        SALMON CREEK WATERSHED OF THE UPPER COLUMBIA RIVER STUDY

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill (S. 2951) to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to investigate 
opportunities to better manage the water resources in the Salmon Creek 
watershed of the upper Columbia River, which had been reported from the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, with an amendment as 
follows:
  (Omit the part in boldface brackets and insert the part printed in 
italic.)

                                S. 2951

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

     SECTION 1. SALMON CREEK WATERSHED, WASHINGTON, WATER 
                   MANAGEMENT STUDY.

       (a) In General.--[The Commissioner of Reclamation] The 
     Secretary of the Interior may conduct a study to investigate 
     the opportunities to better manage the water resources in the 
     Salmon Creek Watershed, a tributary to the Upper Columbia 
     River system, Okanagoan County, Washington, so as to restore 
     and enhance fishery resources (especially the endangered 
     Upper Columbia Spring Chinook and Steelhead), while 
     maintaining or improving the availability of water supplies 
     for irrigation practices vital to the economic well-being of 
     the county.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the study under subsection (a) 
     shall be to derive the benefits of and further the objectives 
     of the comprehensive, independent study commissioned by the 
     Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the 
     Okanagoan Irrigation District, which provides a credible 
     basis for pursuing a course of action to simultaneously 
     achieve fish restoration and improved irrigation conservation 
     and efficiency.
       (c) Cost Share.--The Federal government's cost share for 
     the feasibility study shall not exceed 50 percent.
       Amend the title to read as follows: ``To authorize the 
     Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to investigate 
     opportunties to better manage the water resources in the 
     Salmon Creek watershed of the upper Columbia River.''.

  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2951), as amended, was read the third time, and passed, 
as follows:

                                S. 2951

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

     SECTION 1. SALMON CREEK WATERSHED, WASHINGTON, WATER 
                   MANAGEMENT STUDY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior may conduct 
     a study to investigate the opportunities to better manage the 
     water resources in the Salmon Creek Watershed, a tributary to 
     the Upper Columbia River system, Okanagoan County, 
     Washington, so as to restore and enhance fishery resources 
     (especially the endangered Upper Columbia Spring Chinook and 
     Steelhead), while maintaining or improving the availability 
     of water supplies for irrigation practices vital to the 
     economic well-being of the county.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the study under subsection (a) 
     shall be to derive the benefits of and further the objectives 
     of the comprehensive, independent study commissioned by the 
     Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the 
     Okanagoan Irrigation District, which provides a credible 
     basis for pursuing a course of action to simultaneously 
     achieve fish restoration and improved irrigation conservation 
     and efficiency.
       (c) Cost Share.--The Federal Government's cost share for 
     the feasibility study shall not exceed 50 percent.

                          ____________________