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Updated July 18, 2023
Bureau of Reclamation: FY2024 Budget and Appropriations
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), part of the
funding in spend plans for each fiscal year and is releasing
Department of the Interior, is responsible for the
IRA funding on a rolling basis.
construction and operation of hundreds of large dams and
water diversion structures in the 17 western reclamation
Figure 1. Reclamation Annual Appropriations,
states as designated in statute (43 U.S.C. §391).
FY2016-FY2024
Reclamation is the largest wholesale supplier of water in
(nominal $ in millions)
these 17 states and the second-largest hydroelectric power
producer in the nation. Reclamation’s mission areas and
geographic scope are narrower than those of the other
principal federal water resource agency, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers.
Reclamation’s Water and Related Resources account funds
most agency activities, including construction, operations
and maintenance, dam safety, ecosystem restoration, and
Indian water rights settlements, as well as the agency’s
programmatic and grant authorities (including those for
water reuse and recycling, desalination, conservation and
efficiency, and restoration, among other purposes).
Reclamation typically also receives funding for three
smaller accounts: California Bay-Delta Restoration, the
Central Valley Project Restoration Fund (which is offset by
customer receipts), and Policy and Administration.
FY2024 Budget and Appropriations
Source: CRS, based on FY2016-FY2023 enacted appropriations, the
The Administration budget request for Reclamation is
FY2024 President’s budget request, and H.Rept. 118-126.
usually for a lower amount than the final enacted total of
Notes: Does not reflect supplemental funding or offsetting receipts.
annual appropriations. For FY2024, the President requested
$1.45 billion in current budget authority (i.e.,
“Earmarks” and Reclamation
appropriations before offsets) for Reclamation and the
Reclamation’s Water and Related Resources account
House Appropriations Committee approved $1.84 billion.
consists largely of individual project funding lines. During
The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
the 112th-116th Congresses, Reclamation appropriations
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Division D of the Consolidated
were subject to general “earmark moratoriums” that
Appropriations Act, 2023, P.L. 117-328), provided $1.93
restricted Congress from funding geographically specific
billion for Reclamation. Figure 1 shows recent
project line items not requested by the Administration.
Reclamation annual appropriations levels.
Instead, Congress included “additional funding” amounts
for selected categories of Reclamation projects, typically in
In addition to regular appropriations, Congress has provided
five categories: Rural Water, Water Conservation and
Reclamation with supplemental appropriations that may
Delivery, Environmental Restoration and Compliance, Fish
factor into FY2024 appropriations considerations. The
Passage/Fish Screens, and Facilities Maintenance and
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA; P.L. 117-58)
Rehabilitation. The Administration allocated these funds for
included $8.30 billion in supplemental appropriations for
specific projects in spend plans made available several
various infrastructure-focused Reclamation expenditures.
months after enactment of the appropriations bills. (Spend
This funding is to be made available in equal installments
plans are available at http://www.usbr.gov/budget/.)
from FY2022 to FY2026 (i.e., $1.66 billion per year). P.L.
117-169 (popularly known as the Inflation Reduction Act of
In FY2022, Congress included the first Member-requested
2022, IRA) provided an additional $4.59 billion for
“earmarks” since the 111th Congress. These funds were
Reclamation, including $4.00 billion for western drought
categorized as community project funding (CPF) or
mitigation with priority given to actions in the Colorado
congressionally directed spending (CDS) in the House and
River Basin. IIJA funding is “no year” funding, meaning it
Senate, respectively. For FY2023, the explanatory
remains available until expended; IRA funding is to remain
statement for the enacted bill continued to include these
available until FY2026 or FY2031, depending on the
funds in their recommendations for Reclamation, in
provision. Reclamation has been gradually allocating IIJA
addition to amounts designated as “Additional Funding.” In
its FY2024 recommendation, the House Appropriations
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Bureau of Reclamation: FY2024 Budget and Appropriations
Committee included $361 million in additional funding and
request, the Biden Administration proposed $63 million for
$11 million in CPF (Figure 2).
the WaterSMART program. In its recommendation, the
House Appropriations Committee proposed $88 million for
Figure 2. Additional Funding for Reclamation Projects
WaterSMART (Figure 3).
in Annual Appropriations: FY2016-FY2024
(nominal $ in millions)
Figure 3. WaterSMART Program Annual
Appropriations: FY2016-FY2024
(nominal $ in millions)
Sources: CRS, based on FY2016-FY2023 enacted appropriations and
Source: CRS, based on FY2016-FY2023 enacted appropriations, the
H.Rept. 118-126.
FY2024 President’s Budget request, and H.Rept. 118-126.
Notes: CPF/CDS = Community Project Funding/Congressional y
Directed Spending.
Indian Water Rights Settlements
The FY2024 President’s Budget proposed changes in how
Reclamation Appropriations Issues
Reclamation funds Indian water rights settlements. For the
first time in decades, the budget proposed no discretionary
WIIN Act Section 4007 Funding
funding for construction of projects for these settlements,
Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for
noting funding needs could be met by mandatory funding
the Nation Act (WIIN Act; P.L. 114-322) authorized a new
available from the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund
process for Reclamation to study and construct federal and
and the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund.
nonfederal water storage projects. For projects to receive
The Administration also proposed two new mandatory
funding under Section 4007, first Congress must
funds. The first would provide $2.5 billion to support
appropriate funds under this authority. Then the
additional funding for new and amended settlements. The
Administration must recommend specific projects to fund
other fund would provide $340 million over 10 years to
and Congress must decide whether to approve the
address ongoing operation, maintenance, and repairs
recommendations in enacted appropriations legislation.
associated with existing Indian water rights settlements.
Both funds would require congressional authorization.
From FY2017 through FY2023, Congress appropriated
$854 million in regular appropriations for these projects.
Additional Reading
Congress has approved Administration recommendations
CRS Report R47032, Bureau of Reclamation Provisions
for 13 projects and $511 million of this funding in three
in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-
states: 10 in California, 2 in Washington, and 1 in Idaho.
58)
No funding was requested for these projects in the
Administration’s FY2024 budget, and the Administration
CRS In Focus IF12437, Bureau of Reclamation Funding
has not recommended any project allocations of prior year
in the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169)
appropriations to date. The House Appropriations
Committee’s FY2024 bill language would approve funding
CRS In Focus IF12414, Bureau of Reclamation
previously recommended during the Trump Administration
WaterSMART Program
for a Section 4007 project (the Shasta Dam and Reservoir
Enlargement Project) that was not previously enacted. It is
CRS Report R44148, Indian Water Rights Settlements
unclear how much funding could be released for the project
pursuant to this language.
CRS In Focus IF10626, Reclamation Water Storage
WaterSMART Program
Projects: Section 4007 of the Water Infrastructure
Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act
Reclamation combines funding for six subprograms (many
of them awarded as grants) that promote water conservation
into one program—the WaterSMART program. The largest
Charles V. Stern, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
subprograms are WaterSMART Grants (i.e., water and
IF12369
energy efficiency grants) and Title XVI projects (i.e., water
recycling and reuse projects). In the FY2024 budget
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Bureau of Reclamation: FY2024 Budget and Appropriations
Disclaimer
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