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High Plains States Groundwater Demonstration Program Act of 1983

Public Law 98-434 · H.R. 71 · 98th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Sep 28, 1984 · Water Resources Development

Sponsor: Rep. Doug Bereuter (R-NE-1)

Cosponsors (5): Rep. Abraham Kazen,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
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.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

High Plains States Groundwater Demonstration Program Act of 1983 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), to conduct, in two phases, an investigation of and to establish demonstration projects for groundwater recharge of aquifers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming (the High Plains States) as well as in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Washington (the other Reclamation Act States). Directs the Bureau to consult with the U.S. Geological Survey, other appropriate Federal agencies and departments, the High Plains States, and the other Reclamation Act States to carry out this Act.

Prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act for the study or construction of groundwater recharge demonstration projects in the High Plains States and other Reclamation Act States which would utilize water originating in the drainage basin of the Great Lakes.

Directs the Bureau, during phase I, to develop a detailed plan for not less than 12 demonstration projects in the High Plains States and for not more than 9 demonstration projects in the other Reclamation Act States. Requires such plan to determine whether various recharge technologies may be applied to diverse geologic and hydrologic conditions. Directs the Bureau to recommend the demonstration projects to be designed, constructed, and operated during phase II. Requires the Bureau to make maximum use of data, planning studies, and other technical assistance available from State and local entities in the preparation and development of such plan.

Requires the Secretary, within six months after the enactment of an appropriation Act to carry out phase I, to make a preliminary selection of projects to receive further planning and to initiate such further planning for selected projects.

Requires the Secretary, within 24 months of enactment of an appropriation Act to carry out phase I, to transmit a report to Congress containing recommendations for phase II and a detailed statement of findings and conclusions.

Directs the Bureau during phase II to design, construct, and operate such demonstration projects as are recommended in the Secretary's report to Congress.

Directs the Secretary, acting through the Bureau, to contract with the High Plains States and the other Reclamation Act States to conduct a study to: (1) identify and evaluate alternative means by which the costs of groundwater recharge projects could be allocated among the project beneficiaries; and (2) identify and evaluate the economic feasibility of and the legal authority for utilizing groundwater recharge in water resource development projects.

Requires the Secretary to submit interim reports to Congress on the progress of provisions of this Act within 12 months after the initiation of phase II and a final report within five years.

Requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to enter into a memorandum of understanding to provide for an evaluation of the impacts to surface water and groundwater quality resulting from the groundwater recharge demonstration projects constructed pursuant to this Act.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1983 for phase I, and phase II.

Requires the four-to-one matching of Federal funds appropriated for phase II by the States, their political subdivisions or other non-Federal entities. States that inkind services or other contributions by such non-Federal entities shall be considered in the determination of the matching non-Federal share. Authorizes the Secretary to enter into memoranda of agreement with the High Plains States and the other Reclamation Act States to meet the costs of phase II.

Prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act for any activities associated with: (1) the interstate transfer of water from the State of Arkansas; or (2) the study or demonstration of the potential for the interstate transfer of water from Arkansas.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

  1. Sep 28, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-434.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 21, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 14, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Aug 10, 1984FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  6. Mar 29, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  7. Mar 20, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. Sep 29, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  9. Jun 21, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  10. Jun 20, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  11. May 16, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
  12. May 10, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
  13. Apr 26, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  15. Apr 12, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  16. Feb 2, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
  17. Jan 3, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
  18. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.