This bill clarifies that the federal Bureau of Reclamation retains permanent ownership, control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel, a 2.1-mile fish passage facility near Intake, Montana, built to help endangered pallid sturgeon migrate around the Intake Diversion Dam. The legislation explicitly prohibits the federal government from transferring any operational or financial burden for the channel to the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District or Irrigation Project, which are local irrigation entities. The bill authorizes $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026 for the channel's ongoing operation, maintenance, repairs, and adaptive management, and requires the Secretary of the Interior to submit biennial reports to Congress on the channel's status. The legislation protects the irrigation district and project from bearing costs associated with federal endangered species conservation efforts while preserving their existing water delivery obligations and rights.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.