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<br />; I Q~)!..o.' (1 <br />l..)...j\.lu 0 <br /> <br />fishery. The reduced inflows will have the temporal effect of increasing salinity at a <br />somewhat quicker rate. H.R. 2764 recognizes the special circumstances that relate to <br />both the water transfers and the Salton Sea, and the congressional direction in the 1998 <br />Salton Sea Reclamation Act (Public Law 105-372) which specifically supported the <br />transfers in the context of reclaiming the Sea. H.R. 2764 helps advance consideration of <br />the reclamation of the Sea, and provides for environmental and endangered species <br />compliance with respect to the temporal impacts of the QSA water conservation/transfers <br />on the Sea. At the same time, the proposed Act would preserve the opportunity for future <br />congressional action on the Sea once the feasibility study under Public Law 105-372 is <br />submitted to the Congress. To address any potential impacts, the bill provides $60 <br />million for the first phase of Salton Sea reclamation if Congress authorizes it prior to <br />2007 or for enhancement programs to protect endangered species habitat around the <br />Salton Sea after 2007 if Salton Sea reclamation is not authorized. <br /> <br />The bill also provides $53 million for small off-stream re-regulating reservoirs and <br />associated facilities to improve water conservation and river management. The Bureau of <br />Reclamation estimated that last year about 300,000 acre-feet was lost from Colorado <br />River reservoir storage because of the inability to re-regulate lower Colorado River <br />flows. The increased ability to re-regulate lower Colorado River flows will conserve <br />water and benefit all Basin states. <br />