Senate bill orders Glen Canyon Dam water system study within 18 months

What does this do?

S 3743 directs the Department of the Interior to study whether a selective water withdrawal system can be built at Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona. Unlike the current fixed-depth intake, such a system would let operators draw water from different depths depending on conditions. The study must be finished within 18 months, and construction could follow if the study finds the idea workable and power companies that use the dam agree.

Who does it affect?

The bill affects utility companies that buy hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam and the seven states that depend on Colorado River water: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Communities, farmers, environmental groups, and recreational users of Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon area are also connected to the outcome.

Why does it matter?

The study would examine whether the system could improve electricity generation at the dam and prevent invasive species such as quagga mussels from being carried through water releases into the Colorado River downstream. How the dam operates is closely tied to the river's ecosystem and water flow patterns, which affects all users of the Colorado River system.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Federal government pays for study
• Funded through already-approved money