Bill would require Interior to study fixes for invasive fish downstream of Glen Canyon Dam

The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, must carry out a feasibility study, including hydrological modeling, of alternatives to address downstream invasive species at Glen Canyon Dam. The alternatives may include infrastructure upgrades such as a thermal curtain or a selective water withdrawal system. The Secretary must consult the Secretary of Energy, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Colorado River Basin States, and Colorado River Storage Project power contractors. The study is due within 18 months after the bill becomes law.

After the study, the Secretary must write a summarized feasibility report and send it to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. The report must cover the alternatives and a recommended one, cost sharing across the project's purposes, main features and estimated cost, effects on hydropower production and rates, and whether the recommended alternative is feasible and should be authorized for construction. The report is due within 90 days after it is completed.

If the Secretary finds an alternative feasible under reclamation laws, the Secretary may start design, construction, and related work on the recommended alternative. This includes any necessary policy actions allowed under the reclamation laws. The Secretary must first find the alternative feasible under the reclamation laws.

The Secretary would pay for the study using appropriated funds. Federal money for this section would not have to be repaid. This section's authority expires 5 years after the bill becomes law. It does not affect the long-range operating criteria for Colorado River reservoirs under section 602 of the Colorado River Basin Project Act. The Secretary must identify possible sources of funds within 90 days after the bill becomes law, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy and power contractors.