A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a feasibility study on a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam, and for other purposes.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, to complete an 18-month feasibility study and hydrological modeling for a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam. The system would be studied for its ability to optimize hydropower generation when cold water is released while preventing invasive species entrainment.
Who Benefits and How
Colorado River Storage Project power contractors benefit because the study and any later project must consider hydropower optimization and cannot move to construction unless the power contractors concur with the chosen feasible alternative. Glen Canyon Dam hydropower customers may benefit if selective withdrawal improves generation performance during cold-water releases. Colorado River native fish conservation programs benefit from a design goal of preventing invasive species entrainment. The Bureau of Reclamation benefits from statutory authority to identify funds and, if feasible, begin compliance and construction.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Bureau of Reclamation bears the study, modeling, funding-identification, compliance, and possible construction burden. The Department of Energy and Colorado River Storage Project power contractors must consult on the study and funding sources. Federal taxpayers bear the cost because study funds are appropriated, nonreimbursable, and nonreturnable to the United States. The bill also preserves existing post-2026 Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoir operations guidelines, limiting operational changes from the study.
Key Provisions
- Requires Interior/Reclamation to study a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam, including hydrological modeling.
- Requires consultation with Energy and Colorado River Storage Project power contractors.
- Allows compliance and construction only if Interior finds an alternative feasible and the power contractors concur.
- Requires completion of the feasibility study within 18 months and identification of available funds within 90 days.
- Makes federal funds for the study nonreimbursable and nonreturnable and preserves post-2026 Colorado River reservoir operations guidelines.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Directs the Interior Department, through Reclamation, to study and potentially begin a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam to optimize hydropower generation while limiting invasive species entrainment.
Key Policy Areas
Water, Energy, Environment
Primary Purpose
Directs the Interior Department, through Reclamation, to study and potentially begin a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam to optimize hydropower generation while limiting invasive species entrainment.
Policy Domains
Glen Canyon Dam selective water withdrawal feasibility study
Identified Gains
- Colorado River Storage Project power contractors
- Glen Canyon Dam hydropower customers
- Colorado River native fish conservation programs
Identified Costs
- Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Basin staff
- Department of Energy hydropower consultation staff
- Federal taxpayers funding the feasibility study
Sponsors
Mike Lee
R-UT | Primary Sponsor
Legislative Progress
ReportedCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported …
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and …
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and …
Introduced in Senate
Mr. Lee introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation
- "power_contractors"
- → Colorado River Storage Project power contractors
- "secretary_of_energy"
- → Secretary of Energy
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A Glen Canyon Dam system studied to optimize hydropower generation during cold-water releases while preventing invasive species entrainment.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology