Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act

Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act

This bill directs the federal government to conduct a formal study to determine whether building a water supply project along the Dakota mainstem — a stretch of river in the Dakotas region — is practical and worthwhile. A feasibility study like this is essentially a detailed investigation that looks at the technical, financial, and environmental aspects of a potential project before any construction decisions are made. No actual construction would be authorized by this bill; it only funds and requires the research phase.

The study would likely examine whether a water supply infrastructure project could reliably deliver water to communities, farms, tribes, or other users in the region, and at what cost. It would also look at potential environmental impacts and compare different ways the project could be designed or carried out. The results would help Congress and federal agencies decide whether to move forward with actually building anything in the future.

This bill would primarily affect residents, farmers, Native American tribes, and local governments in North Dakota and South Dakota who depend on or could benefit from improved water supply infrastructure. Rural communities in these states have historically faced challenges with water access and reliability, particularly during droughts. Federal agencies, likely the Bureau of Reclamation, would be responsible for carrying out the study.

The bill has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where a subcommittee has already held hearings on it. It has not yet been voted on by the full Senate or the House of Representatives.