Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

WASHINGTON, DC – Legislation with benefits for water resources in the San Joaquin Valley passed the House of Representatives today, Congressman Cardoza announced. 

“As I have said many times before, water is among our most valuable resources in the San Joaquin Valley. It is imperative that we do all we can to ensure it is available to those of us who depend so heavily on it,” said the congressman. “This legislation is a significant step forward in protecting and developing our water resources that flow from the Sierra Nevada.”

Two amendments, authored by Congressman Cardoza, were included in the National Water Research and Development Initiative Act, H.R. 1145. The bill directs the president to implement a program to improve the government's role in water research and address duplication in water use, supply and demand. The bill also directs the president to establish an interagency committee to implement the initiative.

One legislative amendment by Cardoza calls on the National Academy of Sciences to study the impact of snowpack changes and its effect on water supply. Under the amendment, a study of the Sierra Nevada snowpack and its relation to water quality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is to be included.

A second amendment to H.R. 1145 directs the established interagency committee created in the bill to provide guidance and outreach to institutions of higher education that are located in areas affected by drought. The amendment aims to provide assistance to UC Merced in obtaining funding for water research.