Colorado River Floodway Protection Act
Public Law 99-450 · H.R. 1246 · 99th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 8, 1986 · Water Resources Development
Sponsor: Rep. Richard Cheney (R-WY)
Cosponsors (13): Rep. George Miller, Rep. Joseph Kolter,
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Colorado River Floodway Protection Act - Establishes the Colorado River Floodway Task Force to prepare recommendations concerning the management of land within the Colorado River Floodway, including the potential application of the Floodway on Indian lands. Establishes the Colorado River Floodway, with boundaries to be determined by floodflow levels downstream of Davis Dam.
Directs the Secretary of the Interior to file with the appropriate congressional committees maps of the Floodway, and to provide each State, local, or Federal agency affected by such floodway system with copies of such maps. Permits the Secretary to make minor modifications to such maps after timely notice to the State or agency involved. Directs the Secretary to review the Floodway at least once every five years and to make all necessary changes.
Denies the availability of new expenditures or new financial assistance for any purpose within the Floodway, with specified exceptions. Allows the appropriate Federal officer to make Federal expenditures or financial assistance available within the Floodway, for: (1) any dam, channel, levee, or other structure whose purpose is flood control, water conservation, power, or water quality, drainage facility, or other remedial or corrective measure; (2) the maintenance and expansion of publicly or tribally operated roads, structures, or facilities, with specified exceptions; and (3) certain other activities whose purposes are consistent with this Act, such as fish and wildlife enhancement projects, air and water navigation aids, scientific research, emergency assistance, and riverbank stabilization projects.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to make written certification each year after FY 1985 that each Federal agency concerned has complied with the provisions of this Act.
Requires the Secretary, within one year of enactment of this Act, to submit a report on the Floodway to the appropriate congressional committees, detailing the work of the task force and any recommendations the Secretary may have. Directs the Secretary, in making such report, to analyze the effects of this Act on the economic development of the Indian tribes whose lands are located within the Floodway.
Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 to limit new flood insurance coverage on new construction or substantial improvements to structures within the Floodway to a date six months after the enactment of this Act.
Denies the granting of Federal leases on land located within the Floodway unless the Secretary determines that the proposed use of such land will be consistent with the purposes of this Act. Exempts from such prohibition certain lease operations on Indian lands. Requires pre-Act Federal land lessees to take reasonable steps to minimize any land use inconsistent with the purposes of this Act. Prohibits the granting of leases between Hoover Dam and Davis Dam unless the Secretary determines that the lease would be consistent with the operation of Lake Mohave.
Authorizes appropriations through FY 1990.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Natural Resources Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee
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. 15 actions.
- Oct 8, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-450.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 1, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 23, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 15, 1986FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1696 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 26, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Sep 24, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Sep 10, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Natural Resources Committee
- Jul 31, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Natural Resources Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- May 9, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Mar 21, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee
- Feb 25, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Natural Resources Committee
- 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.