Section 10004 of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (
Public Law 111–11) is
amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “authorized and directed” and all that follows through “in the Settlement:” and inserting “authorized to carry out the following:”;
(B)
by striking paragraphs (1), (2), (4), and (5);
(C)
in paragraph (3)—
(i)
by striking “(3)” and inserting “(1)”; and
(ii)
by striking “paragraph 13 of the Settlement” and inserting “this part”; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
“(2) In each Water Year, commencing in the Water Year starting on March 1, 2021—
“(A) shall modify Friant Dam operations so as to release the Restoration Flows for that Water Year, except in any Critical Water Year;
“(B) shall ensure that the release of Restoration Flows are maintained at the level prescribed by this part, but that Restoration Flows do not reach downstream of Mendota Pool;
“(C) shall release the Restoration Flows in a manner that improves the fishery in the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam, but upstream of Gravelly Ford in existence as of the date of the enactment of this part, and the associated riparian habitat; and
“(D) may, without limiting the actions required under paragraphs (A) and (C) and subject to subsections 10004(a)(3) and 10004(l), use the Restoration Flows to enhance or restore a warm water fishery downstream of Gravelly Ford to and including Mendota Pool, if the Secretary determines that it is reasonable, prudent, and feasible to do so.
“(3) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop and implement, in cooperation with the State of California, a reasonable plan, to fully recirculate, recapture, reuse, exchange, or transfer all Restoration Flows and provide such recirculated, recaptured, reused, exchanged, or transferred flows to those contractors within the Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit of the Central Valley Project that relinquished the Restoration Flows so recirculated, recaptured, reused, exchanged, or transferred. Such a plan shall address any impact on ground water resources within the service area of the Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit of the Central Valley Project and mitigation may include ground water banking and recharge projects. Such a plan shall not impact the water supply or water rights of any entity outside the Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit of the Central Valley Project. Such a plan shall be subject to applicable provisions of California water law and the Secretary’s use of Central Valley Project facilities to make Project water (other than water released from Friant Dam pursuant to this part) and water acquired through transfers available to existing south-of-Delta Central Valley Project contractors.”
(2)
in subsection (b)—
(A)
in paragraph (1), by striking “the Settlement” and inserting “this part”; and
(B)
in paragraph (2), by striking “the Settlement” and inserting “this part”;
(3)
in subsection (c), by striking “the Settlement” and inserting “this part”;
(4)
by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
“(d) Mitigation of impacts—Prior to October 1, 2020, the Secretary shall identify—
“(1) the impacts associated with the release of Restoration Flows prescribed in this part;
“(2) the measures which shall be implemented to mitigate impacts on adjacent and downstream water users, landowners and agencies as a result of Restoration Flows prescribed in this part; and
“(3) prior to the implementation of decisions or agreements to construct, improve, operate, or maintain facilities that the Secretary determines are needed to implement this part, the Secretary shall implement all mitigations measures identified in subsection (d)(2) before Restoration Flows are commenced.”
(5)
in subsection (e), by striking “the Settlement” and inserting “this part”;
(6)
in subsection (f), by striking “the Settlement” and all that follows through “section 10011” and insert “this part”;
(7)
in subsection (g)—
(A)
by striking “the Settlement and” before this part; and
(B)
by striking “or exchange contract” and inserting “exchange contract, or water rights settlement or holding contracts”;
(8)
in subsection (h)—
(A)
by striking “Interim” in the header;
(B)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “Interim Flows under the Settlement” and inserting “Restoration Flows under this part”;
(ii)
in subparagraph (C)—
(I)
in clause (i), by striking “Interim” and inserting “Restoration”; and
(II)
in clause (ii), by inserting “and” after the semicolon;
(iii)
in subparagraph (D), by striking “and” at the end; and
(iv)
by striking subparagraph (E);
(C)
in paragraph (2)—
(i)
by striking “Interim” and inserting “Restoration”;
(ii)
by striking subparagraph (A); and
(iii)
by striking “(B) exceed” and inserting “exceed”;
(D)
in paragraph (3), by striking “Interim” and inserting “Restoration”; and
(E)
by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
“(4) Claims—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary shall promulgate a rule establishing a claims process to address current and future claims including, but not limited to, ground water seepage, flooding, or levee instability damages caused as a result of, arising out of, or related to implementation of subtitle A of title X of Public Law 111–11.”
(9)
in subsection (i)—
(A)
in paragraph (1)—
(i)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “the Settlement and parts I and III” and inserting “this part”;
(ii)
in subparagraph (A), by inserting “and” after the semicolon;
(iii)
in subparagraph (B)—
(I)
by striking “additional amounts authorized to be appropriated, including the”; and
(II)
by striking “; and ” and inserting a period; and
(iv)
by striking subparagraph (C); and
(B)
by striking paragraph (3); and
(10)
by adding at the end the following new subsections:
“(k) No impacts on other interests—No Central Valley Project or other water other than San Joaquin River water impounded by or bypassed from Friant Dam shall be used to implement subsection (a)(2) unless such use is on a voluntary basis. No cost associated with the implementation of this section shall be imposed directly or indirectly on any Central Valley Project contractor, or any other person or entity, outside the Friant Division, the Hidden Unit, or the Buchanan Unit, unless such costs are incurred on a voluntary basis. The implementation of this part shall not result directly or indirectly in any reduction in water supplies to or water reliability for any Central Valley Project contractor, any State Water Project contractor, or any other person or entity, outside the Friant Division, the Hidden Unit, or the Buchanan Unit, unless such reductions or costs are incurred on a voluntary basis.
“(l) Priority—All actions taken under this part shall be subordinate to the Secretary’s use of Central Valley Project facilities to make Project water available to Project contractors, other than water released from the Friant Dam pursuant to this part.
“(m) In general—Notwithstanding section 8 of the Reclamation Act of 1902, except as expressly provided in this part, including title II of this Act, this part preempts and supersedes any State law, regulation, or requirement that imposes more restrictive requirements or regulations on the activities authorized under this part. Nothing in this part shall alter or modify the obligations, if any, of the Friant Division, Hidden Unit, and Buchanan Unit of the Central Valley Project, or other water users on the San Joaquin River or its tributaries, under orders issued by the State Water Resources Control Board pursuant to the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (California Water Code sections 13000 et seq.). Any such order shall be consistent with the congressional authorization for any affected Federal facility as it pertains to the Central Valley Project.
“(n) Project implementation—Projects to implement this title shall be phased such that each project shall follow the sequencing identified below and include at least the—
“(1) project purpose and need;
“(2) identification of mitigation measures;
“(3) appropriate environmental review; and
“(4) prior to releasing Restoration Flows under this part, the Secretary shall—
“(A) complete the implementation of mitigation measures required; and
“(B) complete implementation of the project.”