43 USC 1571 - Water quality improvement

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 23, 2024

§ 1571.

Water quality improvement

(a)

Authority to proceed with program

(b)

Desalting complexes and plants

(1)

The Secretary is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain a desalting complex, including (1) a desalting plant to reduce the salinity of drain water from the Wellton-Mohawk division of the Gila project, Arizona (hereinafter referred to as the division), including a pretreatment plant for settling, softening, and filtration of the drain water to be desalted; (2) the necessary appurtenant works including the intake pumping plant system, product waterline, power transmission facilities, and permanent operating facilities; (3) the necessary extension in the United States and Mexico of the existing bypass drain to carry the reject stream from the desalting plant and other drainage waters to the Santa Clara Slough in Mexico, with the part in Mexico, subject to arrangements made pursuant to subsection (d); (4) replacement of the metal flume in the existing main outlet drain extension with a concrete siphon; (5) reduction of the quantity of irrigation return flows through acquisition of lands to reduce the size of the division, and irrigation efficiency improvements to minimize return flows; (6) acquire on behalf of the United States such lands or interest in lands in the Painted Rock Reservoir as may be necessary to operate the project in accordance with the obligations of Minute No. 242, and (7) all associated facilities including roads, railroad spur, and transmission lines.

(2)

(A)

The desalting plant shall be designed to treat approximately one hundred and twenty-nine million gallons a day of drain water using advanced technology commercially available. The plant shall effect recovery initially of not less than 70 per centum of the drain water as product water, and shall effect reduction of not less than 90 per centum of the dissolved solids in the feed water. The Secretary shall use sources of electric power supply for the desalting complex that will not diminish the supply of power to preference customers from Federal power systems operated by the Secretary.

(B)

The Secretary is authorized to use electrical power and energy available from the Navajo Generating Station which is in excess of the Central Arizona Project pumping requirements for the purpose of supplying power and energy requirements of the desalting plant and protective pumping well field constructed pursuant to this subchapter: Provided, That revenues credited to the Lower Colorado River Basin Development Fund shall not be diminished below those amounts which would have accrued had the power been marketed at the rate determined by the Secretary of Energy for the sale of power from the Navajo Generating Station to utilities and public entities, as a result of the use of power and energy for the desalting, protective pumping works, and other uses authorized by law, and that power and energy from the Navajo Generating Station shall be used first to meet the pumping requirements of the Central Arizona Project and after those needs have been met, for the desalting and protective pumping facilities constructed pursuant to this subchapter, and finally for other uses: Provided further, That prior to obtaining power from the Navajo Generating Station under the authority of this subsection, the Secretary shall complete an analysis of alternative sources of supply, including but not limited to the possibility of developing an agreement with the Republic of Mexico whereby the United States (or a non-Federal entity) would enter into contractual arrangements with Mexico for a sufficient supply of power to operate the desalting plant, the regulatory pumping fields and appurtenant facilities.

(C)

Effective October 1, 1979, and to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to purchase supplemental power and energy as required for the purposes of supplying the power and energy requirements of the desalting plant and protective pumping well field.

(c)

Replacement water studies

(d)

Advancement of funds for that portion of bypass drain within Mexico

(e)

Desalted water exchange

(f)

Return flow reduction

For the purpose of reducing the return flows from the division to one hundred and seventy-five thousand acre-feet or less, annually, the Secretary is authorized to:

(1)

Accelerate the cooperative program of Irrigation Management Services with the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, hereinafter referred to as the district, for the purpose of improving irrigation efficiency. The district shall bear its share of the cost of such program as determined by the Secretary.

(2)

Acquire by purchase or through eminent domain or exchange, to the extent determined by him to be appropriate, lands or interests in lands to reduce the existing seventy-five thousand developed and undeveloped irrigable acres authorized by the Act of July 30, 1947 (61 Stat. 628), known as the Gila Reauthorization Act [43 U.S.C. 613 et seq.]. The initial reduction in irrigable acreage shall be limited to approximately ten thousand acres. If the Secretary determines that the irrigable acreage of the division must be reduced below sixty-five thousand acres of irrigable lands to carry out the purpose of this section, the Secretary is authorized, with the consent of the district, to acquire additional lands, as may be deemed by him to be appropriate.

(g)

Disposal of acquired lands

(h)

Assistance to water users for installation of system improvements

(i)

Contract amendment

(1)

the portion of the existing repayment obligation owing to the United States allocable to irrigable acreage eliminated from the division for the purposes of this subchapter, as determined by the Secretary, shall be nonreimbursable; and

(2)

if deemed appropriate by the Secretary, the district shall be given credit against its outstanding repayment obligation to offset any increase in operation and maintenance assessments per acre which may result from the district’s decreased operation and maintenance base, all as determined by the Secretary.

(j)

Acquisition of land for storage

(k)

Transfer of funds

(l)

Nonreimbursable costs

(Pub. L. 93–320, title I, § 101, June 24, 1974, 88 Stat. 266; Pub. L. 96–336, §§ 1, 2, Sept. 4, 1980, 94 Stat. 1063.)

cite as: 43 USC 1571