The Sacramento RIVER Act of 2024 creates an Integrated Water Management Federal Leadership Committee within the Department of the Interior to help coordinate habitat restoration projects located in watersheds containing Bureau of Reclamation facilities. Chaired by the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, the committee would bring together representatives from agencies like the Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, and USDA to speed up permitting and interagency cooperation for restoration projects, at the request of local sponsors, and would report to Congress twice a year. The bill also changes how revenue from temporary water transfers between water rights holders is handled, allowing those who transfer water (transferors) to keep funds that would normally go into the federal reclamation fund, provided the money is used for drought resilience projects, dam safety upgrades, or major maintenance. Unused funds can be held in reserve for up to ten years before reverting to the federal reclamation fund if not spent on qualifying projects. This legislation primarily affects water agencies, irrigation districts, and other entities involved with Bureau of Reclamation projects, particularly in California's Sacramento River region, giving them more flexibility and federal support to fund infrastructure improvements and environmental restoration while easing bureaucratic hurdles for such projects.
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