Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1978
Public Law 95-578 · S. 2820 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 2, 1978 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Sen. Scoop Jackson (D-WA)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Reclamation Safety of Dams Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to modify Bureau of Reclamation dams and related facilities in order to preserve structural safety.
Provides that costs incurred for modifications due to age, normal deterioration, or from nonperformance of normal maintenance shall be considered to be project costs and be reimbursable as provided by existing law. Provides that costs incurred for modifications due to new hydrologic or seismic data or safety criteria shall be nonreimbursable and nonreturnable under reclamation law.
Authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 1979 and ensuing years of such sums as necessary, not to exceed $100,000,000. Requires that no funds be obligated for carrying out actual construction to modify an existing dam prior to 60 days from transmittal by the Secretary of the Interior of a report to Congress stating that modifications are necessary to insure dam safety.
Authorizes the Secretary to reimburse the Salt River Project for expenses to modify the Bartlett Dam, Arizona, spillway and outfall channel.
Authorizes the Secetary to: (1) pay and discharge that portion of the cost associated with the replacement of the American Falls Dam, Idaho, which the irrigation spaceholder contracting entities are obligated to pay; and (2) enter into contracts with such entities to accomplish the discharge of such costs.
Finds that oversight has been accomplished with respect to three temporary water service contracts between the United States and the Westlands Water District, California.
Directs the Secretary to study and report to the President and Congress on the feasibility of rehabilitating and improving the existing Santa Cruz Dam and Reservoir, New Mexico. Authorizes the appropriation of necessary funds for such study.
Extends the moratorium on studies for the interbasin transfer of water out of the Columbia Basin, Idaho.
Directs the Secretary to make the necessary repairs on the Scoggins Valley Road around Henry Hagg Lake, Oregon.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Nov 2, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-578.
- Oct 25, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 15, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 14, 1978Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 11153.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jul 28, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended, roll call #259 (77-1).Senate roll call 259
- Jul 27, 1978FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 12, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- Apr 4, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.