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June 15, 2021
Bureau of Reclamation: FY2022 Appropriations
Overview
Figure 1. Reclamation Appropriations by Account:
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), part of the
FY2018-FY2021 and FY2022 Budget Request
Department of the Interior, is responsible for construction
(nominal $ in millions)
and operation of hundreds of large dams and water
diversion structures in the 17 coterminous western states.
These projects provide water to approximately 10 million
acres of farmland and 31 million people. Reclamation is the
largest wholesale supplier of water in 17 western states and
the second-largest hydroelectric power producer in the
nation. Reclamation’s mission areas and geographic scope
are narrower than the other principal federal water resource
agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Reclamation’s role has evolved, and its focus gradually has
shifted from construction of new water storage projects to
operation and maintenance of existing projects.
Reclamation also has expanded into new areas, including
funding for water supply projects on tribal lands and in
rural areas under congressionally authorized Indian water
rights settlements and rural water supply projects,
Source: Congressional Research Service, based on Reclamation’s
respectively. In addition, Congress has authorized
FY2022 budget request and FY2018-FY2021 enacted appropriations.
Reclamation grants to nonfederal projects, including those
Notes: Req. = Request. Does not reflect offsetting receipts for the
for water reuse and recycling, conservation and efficiency,
Central Val ey Project Restoration Fund (CVPRF).
and desalination.
Reclamation’s Water and Related Resources account funds
Earmarks and Reclamation
The Water and Related Resources account consists largely
most agency activities, including construction, operation
of individual project funding lines. During the 112th-116th
and maintenance, dam safety, ecosystem restoration, Indian
Congresses, these projects were subject to earmark
water rights settlements, and most programmatic and grant
moratoriums that restricted Congress from funding
authorities. Reclamation typically also requests funding for
geographically specific project line items that the
three smaller accounts: California Bay-Delta Restoration,
Administration did not request. In lieu of these additions,
the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund (which is offset
Congress included “additional funding” amounts for
by customer receipts), and the Policy and Administration
selected categories of Reclamation projects (e.g., additional
account.
funding for “water conservation and delivery”). The
FY2021 Appropriations and FY2022
Administration allocates these funds in work plans made
Budget Request
available several months after Congress enacts
appropriations bills. Prior work plans are available at
President Biden’s budget request for FY2022 proposed
http://www.usbr.gov/budget/.
$1.38 billion in gross current authority (i.e., appropriations
before offsets) for Reclamation. In the FY2021 Energy and
Additional funding amounts provided by Congress for
Water Development Appropriations Bill (Division D of
Reclamation increased each year from FY2017 to FY2020
P.L. 116-260), Congress included $1.69 billion in the final
(Figure 2). For FY2021, Congress provided Reclamation
enacted bill. This is consistent to prior years, in which the
with $428 million in additional funding, or slightly less than
Administration request is commonly less than the final
the FY2020 enacted level for additional funding. In
enacted total for Reclamation. Figure 1 shows recent
FY2022 appropriations, the 117th Congress has indicated an
enacted appropriations levels for Reclamation compared
intent to include some amount of “community project
with FY2022 requested funding.
funding” for agencies; this would be the first site-specific
funding provided since the aforementioned moratoriums
went into effect. However, it is unclear how many
Reclamation projects will receive this funding from
Congress, and/or whether (and to what extent) Congress
may continue to provide additional funding amounts at the
category level in a similar manner to recent years.
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Bureau of Reclamation: FY2022 Appropriations
Figure 2. Reclamation Additional Funding in Enacted
subprograms). In FY2021, Congress provided $131 million
Appropriations, FY2017-FY2021
for WaterSMART programs in P.L. 116-260.
(nominal $ in millions)
Figure 3. Reclamation WaterSMART Program:
FY2017-FY2021 and FY2022 Budget Request
(nominal $ in millions)
Source: CRS, based on appropriations data.
Reclamation Appropriations Issues
WIIN Act Section 4007 Funding
Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for
the Nation Act (WIIN Act; P.L. 114-322) authorized a new
process for Reclamation to study and construct federal and
Source: CRS, based on Reclamation FY2021 budget request and
nonfederal water storage projects. For a project to receive
proposed and enacted appropriations data.
funding that Congress previously appropriated under this
Indian Water Rights Settlements and Rural Water
authority, the Administration must recommend it for
funding, and Congress must mention the project by name in
Supply
enacted appropriations legislation. From FY2017 to
Congress has authorized Reclamation to build projects as
FY2021, Congress appropriated $603 million for these
part of settlements for Indian water rights claims and to
projects (including $134 million in enacted appropriations
provide water supplies to rural communities. For Indian
for FY2021). Of these appropriations, Reclamation has
water rights settlements, the Biden Administration is
recommended and Congress has approved by name
requesting $137.7 million for four construction projects,
approximately $306 million for 12 individual projects in 3
including funding above FY2021 enacted levels for the
states (9 in California, 2 in Washington, and 1 in Idaho). To
Aamodt and Blackfeet Settlements, as well as the Navajo-
date, Congress has rejected Administration-recommended
Gallup Water Supply Project. Reclamation also receives
funding for one project: the Shasta Dam and Reservoir
mandatory funding for some of these projects. The FY2022
Enlargement Project in California.
President’s budget requested $93 million for six authorized
rural water projects. In recent years, Congress provided
The WIIN Act required that in order to be eligible for
additional funding above budget requests for rural water
construction funding under Section 4007, Reclamation must
projects.
find a project feasible prior to January 1, 2021. Reclamation
Additional Reading
found seven projects feasible prior to this deadline. In 2021,
Reclamation may recommend some or all of the remaining
CRS Report R46303, Bureau of Reclamation: History,
$303 million in prior year Section 4007 appropriations for
Authorities, and Issues for Congress
funding of ongoing Section 4007 projects. Congress also
may consider whether to provide additional appropriations
CRS In Focus IF10626, Reclamation Water Storage
in FY2022 for future allocation on Section 4007 projects .
Projects: Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure
Improvements for the Nation Act
WaterSMART Program
Reclamation combines funding for six subprograms (many
CRS Report R44148, Indian Water Rights Settlements
of them awarded as grants) that promote water conservation
into one program—the WaterSMART program. The largest
CRS Report R46308, Bureau of Reclamation Rural Water
subprograms are WaterSMART grants (i.e., water and
Projects
energy efficiency grants) and Title XVI projects (i.e., water
recycling and reuse projects). For FY2022, the Biden
Charles V. Stern, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Administration requested $54 million for the WaterSMART
IF11855
program (see Figure 3 for a request breakdown across
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Reclamation: FY2022 Appropriations
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11855 · VERSION 1 · NEW