43 U.S.C. § 1477 Snow Water Supply Forecasting

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 43 U.S.C. § 1477

(a) Short title

This section may be cited as the "Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act".

(b) Definition of program

In this section, the term "program" means the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program established by subsection (c).

(c) Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program

(1) Program establishment

The Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program is hereby established within the Department of the Interior.

(2) Program implementation

To implement the program, the Secretary shall-

(A) develop the program framework in coordination with other Federal agencies pursuant to subsection (d), culminating in the report required under subsection (d)(3); and

(B) after submitting the report required by subsection (d)(3), implement activities to improve snowpack measurement in particular watersheds pursuant to subsection (e).

(d) Development of program framework in coordination with other Federal agencies

(1) Snowpack measurement data

When determining water supply forecasts or allocations to Federal water contractors, the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, shall incorporate, to the greatest extent practicable, information from emerging technologies for snowpack measurement, such as-

(A) synthetic aperture radar;

(B) laser altimetry; and

(C) other emerging technologies that the Secretary determines are likely to provide more accurate or timely snowpack measurement data.

(2) Coordination

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall coordinate data use and collection efforts with other Federal agencies that use or may benefit from the use of emerging technologies for snowpack measurement.

(3) Emerging technologies report

Not later than October 1, 2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that-

(A) summarizes the use of emerging technologies pursuant to this section;

(B) describes benefits derived from the use of technologies summarized under subparagraph (A) related to the environment and increased water supply reliability; and

(C) describes how Federal agencies will coordinate to implement emerging technologies.

(e) Program implementation

(1) Activities implementing framework

After submitting the report required under subsection (d)(3), the Secretary shall participate with program partners in implementing activities to improve snowpack measurement in particular watersheds.

(2) Focus

The program shall focus on activities that will maintain, establish, expand, or advance snowpack measurement consistent with the report required by subsection (d)(3), with an emphasis on-