The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and formerly the United States Reclamation Service, is a federal agency under the U.S.Department of the Interior, which oversees water resource management, specifically as it applies to the oversight and operation of the diversion, delivery, and storage projects that it has built throughout the western United States for irrigation, water supply, and attendant hydroelectric power generation. [8] However, this first and only failure of a major Reclamation Bureau dam led to subsequent strengthening of its dam-safety program to avoid similar problems. Established in 1902, the Bureau of Reclamation is best known for the, Reclamation is also the second largest producer of, Today, Reclamation is a contemporary water management agency with a. The current Commissioner is Camille Calimlim Touton, the first Filipino American to head the agency. From 1902 to 1907, Reclamation began about 30projects in Western states. In addition, information detailing the scope and operations of the Calamus Fish Hatchery is provided. On June 17, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., approved an act to appropriate "the receipts from the sale and disposal of public lands in certain States and Territories to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation of arid lands." Plant Sciences Commons, Home | Reclamation wrote that "The arid West essentially has been reclaimed. Emphasis in Reclamation programs shifted from construction to operation and maintenance of existing facilities. On November 6, 1979, former Secretary of the Interior Cecil D. Andrus issued Secretarial Order 3042, which changed the Bureau's name to the Water and Power Resources Service (WPRS). About 5% of the land area of the West is irrigated, and Reclamation provides water to about one-fifth of that area, some 9,120,000 acres (37,000km2) in 1992. On June 26, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Brenda Burman to serve as the Commissioner of the United States Bureau of Reclamation. [4] Then, in 1907, the Secretary of the Interior separated the Reclamation Service from the USGS and created an independent bureau within the Department of the Interior.
The Bureau is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States. US BLM Paul E. Scheele Mead guided the bureau during the development, planning, and construction of the Hoover Dam, the United States' first multiple-purpose dam. This RMP has been developed cooperatively between the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Commission). Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 20240. Reclamation's redefined official mission is to "manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public". The new Reclamation Service studied potential water development projects in each western state with federal landsrevenue from sale of federal lands was the initial source of the program's funding. Its 53 powerplants produce annually more than 40 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, earning nearly $1 billion in revenues and generating enough energy for 3.5 million homes. About | 388), which is popularly known as the Reclamation Act or National Irrigation Act of 1902, former Secretary of the Interior Ethan A. Hitchcock established the U.S. Reclamation Service (USRS) in the Geological Survey in July. chapter 12. Recreation sites that are developed as a result of BR water projects rank among the Nation's most popular places for water-based outdoor recreation. Codified statutory material dealing the Federal Government's reclamation and irrigation of public lands is found in 43 U.S.C. FAQ | USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration 565). Burman resigned on January 20th after the inauguration of the Biden Administration. 39, Resource Management Plan: Calamus Reservoir, Nebraska [citation needed], In 1928 Congress authorized the Boulder Canyon (Hoover Dam) Project, and large appropriations began, for the first time, to flow to Reclamation from the general funds of the United States. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 16, 2017. These projects include approximately 6.5 million acres of land and water that are, for the most part, open to the public for recreation. Home The disruption that they visit upon ecosystems can cause new listings under the Endangered Species Act. It brings water to more than 31 million people and provides 140,000 Western farmers with irrigation water for 10 million acres of farmland. On June 17, 1902, in accordance with the Reclamation Act, Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock established the U.S. Reclamation Service within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Bureau of Reclamation develops, manages, and protects water and related resources in a way that is environmentally and economically responsible and that benefits the American public. Reclamation is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the western United States. Burman is the first woman to ever lead the Bureau of Reclamation. Today, Reclamation is a contemporary water management agency with a Strategic Plan outlining numerous programs, initiatives and activities that will help the Western States, Native American Tribes and others meet new water needs and balance the multitude of competing uses of water in the West. Water surface areas carry a wildlife management designation.
Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam are components of the features and facilities constructed as part of the North Loup Division. Accessibility Statement, DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Because Texas had no federal lands, it did not become a Reclamation state until 1906, when Congress passed a law including it in the provisions of the Reclamation Act. In 1923 the agency was renamed the "Bureau of Reclamation". The project area lands are managed for recreation, wildlife, or operations purposes. In partnership with the Bonneville Power Administration, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and U.S. Forest Service, the BR implemented a project to increase mainstem and off-channel habitat in a segment of the Grand Ronde River. Even the 1976 failure of Teton Dam as it filled for the first time did not diminish Reclamation's strong international reputation in water development circles. 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States, Statistical Summary of Holdings by Record Group Number, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records, Reclamation Service, Geological Survey (1902-7), Water and Power Resources Service (1979-81). The law transferred the Bureau's power marketing functions to the Department of Energy (91 STAT. Maps provided in the RMP delineate the management designations for land areas at Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam. [citation needed], Reclamation commissioners that have had a strong impact and molding of the Bureau have included Elwood Mead, Michael W. Straus, and Floyd Dominy, with the latter two being public-power boosters who ran the Bureau during its heyday. In redirecting its programs and responsibilities, Reclamation substantially reduced its staff levels and budgets but remains a significant federal agency in the West. Sixteen years later, the independent USRS was renamed the Bureau of Reclamation. [clarification needed][7], The heyday of Reclamation construction of water facilities occurred during the Depression and the 35years after World WarII. > [10], John W. Keys, the 16thCommissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation who served from July 2001 to April 2006, was killed two years after his retirement on May 30, 2008, when the airplane he was piloting crashed in Canyonlands National Park, Utah.[11]. Reclamation operates about 180 projects in the 17western states. To begin searching within the
Even so, the failure of Teton Dam, the environmental movement, and the announcement of President Carter's "hit list" on water projects profoundly affected the direction of Reclamation's programs and activities.[9]. The BR also engages in conservation activities to support native species and their habitats. [6] In 1924, however, in the face of increasing settler unrest and financial woes, the "Fact Finder's Report" spotlighted major problematic issues; the Fact Finders Act in late 1924 sought to resolve some of these problems. The USBR is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the western United States.[3]. From 1941 to 1947, Civilian Public Service labor was used to carry on projects otherwise interrupted by the war effort. This RMP has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Compliance Act (NEPA).
It covers all or part of nine states and encompasses a wide range of ecosystems from alpine tundra to the gulf coast. In 1907, the USRS separated from the Geological Survey and became an independent bureau within the Department of the Interior. 2021 4th Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101, United States. Subject to available funding, upgrades and improvements to existing facilities will be implemented through cooperative programs sponsored by Reclamation and/or the Commission. or phrase to find your match. The last major authorization for construction projects occurred in the late 1960s, while a parallel evolution and development of the American environmental movement began to result in strong opposition to water development projects. Since this RMP does not identify any construction or development projects to be addressed programmatically under this document, all future development projects implemented at Calamus Reservoir or Kent Diversion Dam will be addressed under NEPA documents and/or National Historic Properties Act documents prepared separately to address those project activities. The major rivers have been harnessed and facilities are in place or are being completed to meet the most pressing current water demands and those of the immediate future". The Boulder Canyon Project: Historical and Economic Aspects (Stanford: Stanford University Press). On August 4, 1977, President James E. Carter approved Public Law 9591, which is also cited as the Department of Energy Organization Act. David Murillo was serving as the acting commissioner of the bureau.
USDOI On May 18, 1981, former Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt issued Secretarial Order 3064, which renamed the WPRS the Bureau of Reclamation (BR). My Account | These bivalve mollusks adversely affect the natural ecology, which harms endangered native species. * The Commissioner reports to the Assistant Secretary of Water and Science. [12], "USBR" redirects here. The RMP provides information regarding project characteristics, land and water use, cultural resources, endangered species, wildlife and fisheries management, recreation management, agency responsibilities, and reservoir operations. The BR posts its organizational chart in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing and downloading. 578) as part of an effort "to secure effective management to assure a coordinated national energy policy" (STAT. We place great emphasis on fulfilling our water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with our customers, states, and Native American Tribes, and in finding ways to bring together the variety of interests to address the competing needs for our limited water resources. The total Reclamation investment for completed project facilities in September 1992 was about $11billion. Pursuant to Public Law 161 (32 Stat. Vol. We bring water to more than 31 million people, and provide one out of five Western farmers (140,000) with irrigation water for 10 million acres of farmland that produce 60% of the nation's vegetables and 25% of its fruits and nuts. Presidential Studies Quarterly She was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 4, 2021. 8, No. The Calamus Reservoir Resource Management Plan (RMP) serves as a guidance document for land and resource management at the Calamus Reservoir and Kent Diversion Dam project areas. Agriculture Commons, According to a 2007 park user survey conducted at Calamus Reservoir, 84% of visitors rated their satisfaction with the Calamus State Recreation Area as better than average or excellent.