Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 100 Part 5.djvu/765

 PUBLIC LAW 99-662—NOV. 17, 1986

100 STAT. 4239

SEC. 1121. OGALLALA AQUIFER

(a) The Congress finds that— (1) the Ogallala aquifer lies beneath, and provides needed water supplies to, the 8 States of the High Plains Region: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming; (2) the High Plains region has become an important source of agricultural commodities and livestock for domestic and international markets, providing 15 percent of the Nation's supply of wheat, corn, feed grains, sorghum, and cotton, plus 38 percent of the value of livestock raised in the United States; and (3) annual precipitation in the High Plains region ranges from 15 to 22 inches, providing inadequate supplies of surface water and recharging of the Ogallala aquifer needed to sustain the agricultural productivity and economic vitality of the High Plains region. (b) It is, therefore, the purpose of this section to establish a comprehensive research and development program to assist those portions of the High Plains region dependent on water from the Ogallala aquifer to— (1) plan for the development of an adequate supply of water in the region; (2) develop and provide information and technical assistance concerning water-conservation management practices to agricultural producers in the region; (3) examine alternatives for the development of an adequate supply of water for the region; and (4) develop water-conservation management practices which are efficient for agricultural producers in the region. (c) The Water Resources Research Act (Public Law 98-242) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new title:

42 USC 10301 note.

"TITLE III—OGALLALA AQUIFER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT "SEC. 301. (a) There is hereby established the High Plains Study 42 USC 10301 note. Council composed of— "(1) the Governor of each State of the High Plains region (defined for the purposes of this title as the States of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming and referred to hereinafter in this title as the 'High Plains region'), or a designee of the Governor; "(2) a representative of the Department of Agriculture; and "(3) a representative of the Secretary. "(b) 'The Council established pursuant to this section shall— "(1) review research work being performed by each State committee established under section 302 of this Act; and "(2) coordinate such research efforts to avoid duplication of research and to assist in the development of research plans within each State of the High Plains region that will benefit the research needs of the entire region. "SEC. 302. (a) The Secretary shall establish within each State of 42 USC 10301 the High Plains region an Ogallala aquifer technical advisory note. committee (hereinafter in this title referred to as the 'State committee'). Each State committee shall be composed of no more than seven members, including—

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