Orland Project Water Management Act

Summary

Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, at the request of the Orland Unit Water Users Association, to make water from the Orland Project available to the Sacramento Canal Unit of the Central Valley Project at any time regardless of water year type, provided the Secretary finds the transfer consistent with Central Valley Project purposes. The amendment adds protections saying this temporary authority is not a new or supplemental benefit under the Reclamation Reform Act, does not change or impair any existing water rights or pending water-rights applications, and does not allow redirected impacts to the Orland Project from a contract made under this authority.

• Authorizes the Interior Secretary to provide Orland Project water to the Sacramento Canal Unit on request, at any time regardless of water year type, if consistent with CVP purposes.
• Adds a new temporary-transfer authority into the Reclamation statute rather than creating a permanent new water-right benefit.
• Includes four rules of construction that preserve existing water rights and pending applications and clarify this is not a Reclamation Reform Act benefit.
• Transfers under this authority must be found by the Secretary to be consistent with Central Valley Project purposes.
• Does not appropriate money or change tax law; implementation uses existing Secretary authorities and contracting tools.
• Prohibits redirecting impacts to the Orland Project from a temporary contract executed under this authority.
• Likely requires administrative findings and coordination with CVP operations but does not itself spell out environmental or procedural steps.
• Targets a specific operational flexibility between two CVP-related units; effect is geographically focused and operationally narrow.