H.R. 4970 – Orland Project Water Management Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 10:53 PM UTC

The Orland Project Water Management Act amends the 1991 Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act to allow water from the Orland Project to be transferred to the Sacramento Canal Unit of the Central Valley Project. The change lets the Secretary provide this water whenever the Orland Unit Water Users Association requests it, regardless of the current water year type. It also adds language to ensure the amendment does not create new benefits, alter existing water rights, affect pending water‑right applications, or cause unintended impacts on the Orland Project.

Key Provisions

Adds a new subsection (b) that authorizes the Secretary to make water from the Orland Project available to the Central Valley Project’s Sacramento Canal Unit upon request by the Orland Unit Water Users Association, without regard to water year type.
Redesignates existing subsections (b) and (c) as (c) and (d) to accommodate the new provision.
Includes a rules‑of‑construction clause stating the amendment does not create new benefits under the Reclamation Reform Act, does not affect existing vested water rights, pending water‑right applications, or cause redirected impacts from temporary water contracts.

Legislative Activity

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4 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Gallagher asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 4970, a bill originally introduced by Representative LaMalfa, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

July 16, 2026 • 11:22 AM

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 15, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

Natural Resources Committee

August 15, 2025

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

August 29, 2025

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held

Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee

September 3, 2025

HouseFloor

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Gallagher asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 4970, a bill originally introduced by Representative LaMalfa, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

July 16, 2026 • 11:22 AM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 4970 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. James GallagherR-CA-1 · Jul 16, 2026

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 1420 and H.R. 4970, bills originally introduced by Representative LaMalfa of California, for…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued August 15, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4970

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 15, 2025

Mr. LaMalfa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to facilitate the transfer of water from the Orland Project to the Central Valley Project.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Orland Project Water Management Act.

2.

Amendment to Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991

Section 104 of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 U.S.C. 2214) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d) respectively;

(2)

by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

(b)

Exception

The Secretary may make available, upon the request of the Orland Unit Water Users Association and through the programs and authorities established under this title, water from the Orland Project to the Sacramento Canal Unit of the Central Valley Project at any time, without regard to water year type, if the Secretary determines that such action is consistent with the purposes of the Central Valley Project.

; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Rules of construction

Nothing in this section may be construed to—

(1)

be a new or supplemental benefit for the purposes of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (43 U.S.C. 390aa et seq.);

(2)

affect any valid or vested water right in existence as of the date of the enactment of this subsection;

(3)

affect any application for water rights pending before the date of the enactment of this subsection; or

(4)

result in any redirected impacts to the Orland Project from a temporary contract for the supply of water executed under this section.

.