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<br />SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
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<br />For purposes of this Act:
<br />(a) HIGH PLAINS AQUIFER- The term 'High Plains Aquifer' is the groundwater reserve depicted as figure I in
<br />the United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 1400-B, titled Geohydrology of the High Plains Aquifer in
<br />Parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
<br />(b) HIGH PLAINS- The term 'High Plains' means the approximately 174,000 square miles ofland surface
<br />overlying the High Plains Aquifer in the States of Colorado, Kansas,
<br />Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
<br />(c) HIGH PLAINS AQUIFER STATES- The term 'High Plains Aquifer States' means the states of Colorado,
<br />Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
<br />(d) SECRETARY-The term' Secretary' means the Secretary of the Interior.
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<br />SEC. 4. HYDROGEOLOGIC MAPPING, MODELING, AND MONITORING,
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<br />(a) PROGRAM- The Secretary, working through the United States Geological Survey, and in cooperation with the
<br />State Geologists of the High Plains Aquifer States, shall develop and carry out a comprehensive hydrogeologic
<br />mapping, modeling, and monitoring program for the High Plains Aquifer. The program shall include on a county-
<br />by-county basis--
<br />(l) a map of the hydrological configuration of the High Plains Aquifer; and
<br />(2) an analysis of:
<br />(A) the current and past rate at which groundwater is being withdrawn and recharged, and the net
<br />rate of decrease or increase in aquifer storage;
<br />(B) the factors controlling the rate of horizontal migration of water within the High Plains Aquifer;
<br />and
<br />(C) the current and past rate ofloss of saturated thickness within the High Plains Aquifer.
<br />(b) FUNDING- The Secretary shall make available to the High Plains States no less than 50 percent of the funds
<br />made available pursuant to this section to be used by the States, working in cooperation with the Secretary, to
<br />implement the program provided for by this section. The Secretary shall allocate the funds among the High Plains
<br />Aquifer States in a manner to best further the objectives of the program provided for in this section.
<br />(c) ANNUAL REPORT- One year after the date of enactment of this Act, and every two years thereafter, the
<br />Secretary shall submit a report on the status of the High Plains Aquifer to the Committee on Energy and Natural
<br />Resources ofthe Senate, the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives, and the Governors ofthe
<br />High Plains Aquifer States.
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<br />SEC. 5. mGH PLAINS AQUIFER COORDINATION COUNCIL.
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<br />(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE- The Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall
<br />establish a High Plains Aquifer Coordination Council. The purpose of the Council shall be to--
<br />(l) ensure that comprehensive and coordinated mapping, modeling, and monitoring efforts relating to the
<br />High Plains Aquifer are in place to provide information on the water resources of the High Plains Aquifer,
<br />including the sustainabiIity of such resources;
<br />(2) facilitate the coordination of Federal, State, and local programs relating to the groundwater resources
<br />of the High Plains Aquifer;
<br />(3) facilitate coordination of programs and policies among the High Plains Aquifer States with respect to
<br />the groundwater resources of the High Plains Aquifer;
<br />(4) evaluate the effectiveness of Federal and State programs in addressing the present and anticipated
<br />groundwater resources issues relating to the High Plains Aquifer; and
<br />(5) provide recommendations to the Secretary, the Secretary of Agriculture, and each Governor of a High
<br />Plains Aquifer State, regarding programs and policies and changes in Federal and State law to address the
<br />groundwater resources issues of the High Plains Aquifer.
<br />(b) MEMBERSHIP- The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall appoint the following
<br />members of the High Plains Aquifer Coordination Council:
<br />(l) Two representatives of the Secretary of the Interior, one representing the Bureau of Reclamation, and
<br />one representing the U.S. Geological Survey.
<br />(2) Two representatives of the Secretary of Agriculture, to be selected from a list of candidates provided
<br />by such Secretary, one representing the Natural Resources Conservation Service and one representing the
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