[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5034]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               ADDRESSING DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE WEST

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, Benjamin Franklin said: ``When the well is 
dry, we know the worth of water.''
  The drought is here. It has been going on for 15 to 20 years in the 
western part of the United States. All over the West, we are perilously 
close to running dry. The water situation is as dangerous as it has 
been in our lifetime.
  The States of California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, and 
Wyoming don't have these huge rivers like we see west of the 
Mississippi. We have, basically, the little Colorado River. It is a 
tiny little river. In the past, it has become mighty, but for very 
short periods of time. That little river is called upon to respond to 
everything.
  One of the things that is happening is that Lake Powell, the largest 
manmade lake in America, is going dry. There is no end in sight. This 
drought has dropped Lake Mead, which is the resource for water that 
goes everyplace in the West. Most of the water in California they get 
out of the Colorado. It all comes out of Lake Mead.
  Lake Mead levels have dropped to levels not seen since the Great 
Depression. That is, of course, when the lake was born. It hasn't been 
full in over three decades. To make matters worse, El Nino is supposed 
to ease the pain, but it hasn't--only a little bit more.
  Some say up to 50 million people rely on the Colorado River. We know 
the State of California, with almost 40 million people, depends on it 
as much as any other source of water. We have to work to reverse 
current trends or face a future where water shortages become the new 
normal. The Federal Government can and should work with States on 
solutions that make our precious water supplies more sustainable. We 
need to work together, as the States of California, Arizona, Nevada, 
Utah, and even Wyoming, which is a long way away, have worked to solve 
the issues.
  Today the Senate continues deliberation on the Energy and Water bill. 
Later this morning we will consider three amendments. One is a Reid-
Heller amendment, which seeks to address drought conditions throughout 
the West. Our amendment would build on that spirit of collaboration by 
trying to address the fact that we need to stretch every drop of water 
as far as it will go.
  This legislation isn't for any one city or region. It will help every 
State that relies upon the water in the Colorado River system: Arizona, 
California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
  I hope this amendment will be adopted. I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Mr. President, will the Chair announce the business of the day.

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