Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (43 USC Ch. 40) Country/Territory United States of America Document type Legislation Date 2020 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Water, General Keyword Management/conservation Water shortage/drought Hazards Drainage/land reclamation Policy/planning Well sinking/boreholes Groundwater Subsidy/incentive Water supply Internal trade Special fund Capacity building Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This act provides for reclamation states emergency drought relief. Specifically, it states that consistent with existing contractual arrangements and applicable State and applicable Federal law, and without further authorization, the Secretary is authorized to undertake construction, management, and conservation activities that will minimize, or can be expected to have an effect in minimizing, losses and damages resulting from drought conditions. Any construction activities undertaken pursuant to the authority of this subsection shall be limited to temporary facilities designed to minimize losses and damages from drought conditions, except that wells drilled to minimize losses and damages from drought conditions may be permanent facilities. In order to minimize losses and damages resulting from drought conditions, the Secretary may provide nonfinancial assistance to willing buyers in their purchase of available water supplies from willing sellers. In order to minimize losses and damages resulting from drought conditions, the Secretary may purchase water from willing sellers, including, but not limited to, water made available by Federal Reclamation project contractors through conservation or other means with respect to which the seller has reduced the consumption of water. Except with respect to water stored, conveyed or delivered to Federal and State wildlife habitat, the Secretary shall deliver such water pursuant to temporary contracts under section 2212 of this title: Provided, That any such contract shall require recovery of any costs, including interest if applicable, incurred by the Secretary in acquiring such water. In order to respond to a drought, the Secretary is authorized to participate in water banks established by a State. Among others, the act further provides for availability of water on temporary basis; loans; applicable period of drought program; assistance for drought-related planning in reclamation States; drought contingency planning; identification of opportunities for water supply conservation, augmentation and use; drought contingency plans; plan elements; the Reclamation Drought Response Fund; and technical assistance and transfer of precipitation management technology. Full text English Website uscode.house.gov