LaMalfa Introduces Bill to Unlock Orland Project Water for Local Use

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) introduced the Orland Project Water Management Act (H.R. 4970), which allows water from the Orland Project of the Bureau of Reclamation in Glenn County to be transferred to the Central Valley Project (CVP) whenever it’s available, not just during drought emergencies.

“For years, surface water that could have helped irrigate nearby farms and reduce pressure on groundwater use has gone unused because of outdated federal restrictions,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “This is water already stored behind a federal dam system, and it should be put to good use. This bill ensures we’re not wasting water in years when it’s available. It’s a sensible fix that supports agriculture and gives water managers another tool to meet local needs.”

“We greatly appreciate Congressman LaMalfa’s leadership in introducing the Orland Project Water Management Act to allow water transfers from the Orland Project to the Central Valley Project,” said Zach Dennis, Chairman of the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority Board of Directors. “This common-sense fix will provide greater flexibility in managing limited water supplies and help ensure reliability for farms and communities that depend on the CVP. This is the first step towards maximizing water supplies from the Orland Project and the TCCA looks forward to working with the Congressman and the Orland Project to unlock even more flexibility.”

"The Orland Unit Water Users’ Association strongly supports Congressman LaMalfa's legislation to modernize outdated federal restrictions on water transfers," said Greg Krzys, General Manager of the Orland Unit Water Users’ Association. "For too many years, we've watched surplus water from our project go unused while neighboring agricultural communities face water shortages. This bill represents a win-win solution that maximizes the beneficial use of our water resources while maintaining the operational integrity of the Orland Project. We appreciate the Congressman's leadership in addressing this longstanding inefficiency and look forward to working collaboratively with the TCCA and other stakeholders to maximize the water supply benefits of the Orland Project."

The Orland Project operates separately from the CVP, but under current Federal law, it can only transfer water to CVP contractors, like the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority (TCCA), when the Governor of California makes a special request for temporary drought assistance. That means even when surplus water is available, as it is nearly every year, it is often left unused and unable to be transferred to the CVP to be put to good use.

Congressman LaMalfa’s bill updates the law to allow water transfers at any time from the Orland Project to the CVP.  This transferred water would be considered a new source of water for the CVP and would support agriculture and reduce reliance on groundwater.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

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