---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 10366"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "10366"
heading: "Climate change and water intragovernmental panel"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/10366"
units:
  - "Chapter 109B — Secure Water"
---

# §10366. Climate change and water intragovernmental panel

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) and the [Administrator](/usc/42/10362.md?p=1) shall establish and lead a climate change and water intragovernmental [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16)—
  - (1) to review the current scientific understanding of each impact of global climate change on the quantity and quality of freshwater resources of the United States; and
  - (2) to develop any strategy that the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) determines to be necessary to improve observational capabilities, expand data acquisition, or take other actions—
    - (A) to increase the reliability and accuracy of modeling and prediction systems to benefit water managers at the Federal, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), and local levels; and
    - (B) to increase the understanding of the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems.
- (b) **Membership—** The [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) shall be comprised of—
  - (1) the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A);
  - (2) the [Director](/usc/42/10362.md?p=6);
  - (3) the [Administrator](/usc/42/10362.md?p=1);
  - (4) the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) of Agriculture (acting through the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) for Natural Resources and Environment);
  - (5) the [Commissioner](/usc/42/10362.md?p=5);
  - (6) the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers;
  - (7) the [Administrator](/usc/42/10362.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1); and
  - (8) the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) of Energy.
- (c) **Review elements—** In conducting the review and developing the strategy under [subsection (a)](#a), the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) shall consult with [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) water resource [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/10362.md?p=2), drinking water utilities, water research organizations, and relevant water user, environmental, and other nongovernmental organizations—
  - (1) to assess the extent to which the conduct of measures of streamflow, groundwater levels, soil moisture, evapotranspiration rates, evaporation rates, snowpack levels, precipitation amounts, flood risk, and glacier mass is necessary to improve the understanding of the Federal Government and the [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) with respect to each impact of global climate change on water resources;
  - (2) to identify data gaps in current water monitoring networks that must be addressed to improve the capability of the Federal Government and the [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) to measure, analyze, and predict changes to the quality and quantity of water resources, including flood risks, that are directly or indirectly affected by global climate change;
  - (3) to establish data management and communication protocols and standards to increase the quality and efficiency by which each Federal [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) acquires and reports relevant data;
  - (4) to consider options for the establishment of a data portal to enhance access to water resource data—
    - (A) relating to each nationally significant freshwater watershed and aquifer located in the United States; and
    - (B) that is collected by each Federal [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and any other public or private entity for each nationally significant freshwater watershed and aquifer located in the United States;
  - (5) to facilitate the development of hydrologic and other models to integrate data that reflects groundwater and surface water interactions; and
  - (6) to apply the hydrologic and other models developed under [paragraph (5)](#c-5) to water resource management problems identified by the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16), including the need to maintain or improve ecological resiliency at watershed and aquifer system scales.
- (d) **Report—** Not later than 2 years after March 30, 2009, the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes the review conducted, and the strategy developed, by the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) under [subsection (a)](#a).
- (e) **Demonstration, research, and methodology development projects—**
  - (1) **Authority of Secretary—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A), in consultation with the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) and the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/10362.md?p=2), may provide grants to, or enter into any contract, cooperative agreement, interagency agreement, or other transaction with, an appropriate entity to carry out any demonstration, research, or methodology development [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) determines to be necessary to assist in the implementation of the strategy developed by the [panel](/usc/42/10362.md?p=16) under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2).
  - (2) **Requirements—**
    - (A) **Maximum amount of Federal share—** The Federal share of the cost of any demonstration, research, or methodology development [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that is the subject of any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, interagency agreement, or other transaction entered into between the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) and an appropriate entity under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) shall not exceed $1,000,000.
    - (B) **Report—** An appropriate entity that receives funds from a grant, contract, cooperative agreement, interagency agreement, or other transaction entered into between the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) and the appropriate entity under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/10362.md?p=18-A) a report describing the results of the demonstration, research, or methodology development [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) conducted by the appropriate entity.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—**
  - (1) **In general—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsections [(a)](#a) through [(d)](#d) $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2011, to remain available until expended.
  - (2) **Demonstration, research, and methodology development projects—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out [subsection (e)](#e) $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2009 through 2013, to remain available until expended.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–11, title IX, § 9506, Mar. 30, 2009, 123 Stat. 1338.)