Orland Project Transfer Act

Orland Project Transfer Act

This bill requires the Bureau of Reclamation to transfer title and water rights held by the United States in the Orland Project (located in Glenn, Tehama, and Colusa counties in California) to a qualifying entity. Qualifying entity refers to a state agency, joint action or powers agency, water users association, Indian tribe, or tribal utility authority that operates certain water facilities.

The bill specifies four separate transfers related to the Orland Project. These transfers are for (1) the Stony Gorge Dam; (2) the facilities and structures of the project that do not include the Stony Gorge Dam; (3) the irrigation distribution system of the project; and (4) the office building, maintenance yard, and land used to operate and maintain the project.

Prior to each transfer, Reclamation must consult with the California Department of Water Resources' Division of Safety of Dams and the qualifying entity to identify any dam safety issues that require remediation. A transferred portion shall not be considered a federal Reclamation project.

In addition, the bill outlines the use of proceeds from the sale of water from the Stony Gorge Dam and Reservoir. In particular, proceeds must be used to pay for the costs of safety improvements.

The bill authorizes Reclamation to make clerical and typographical corrections to a November 2, 2020, map of the Orland Project. Reclamation must make the map publicly available on its website.