To direct the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a feasibility study on a selective water withdrawal system at Glen Canyon Dam, and for other purposes.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study examining whether a selective water withdrawal system could be installed at Glen Canyon Dam, which is located on the Colorado River on the Arizona-Utah border. A selective water withdrawal system would allow operators to pull water from different depths of Lake Powell (the reservoir behind the dam) rather than only from a fixed point. This type of system can give water managers more flexibility and control over water temperature, sediment levels, and overall water quality downstream.

The study would essentially be a research and planning effort — not a construction project itself. It would look at whether such a system is technically possible, what it might cost, and what effects it could have on the river and surrounding environment. Glen Canyon Dam is a major piece of infrastructure that provides water and hydroelectric power to millions of people across the American West, so any changes to how it operates could have wide-reaching consequences.

The bill would primarily affect federal water managers, scientists, and communities in the Colorado River basin, which spans seven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Indigenous tribes with water rights tied to the Colorado River could also be affected. Because this bill only calls for a study rather than immediate action, its direct short-term impact is limited, but the findings could inform future decisions about how the dam is managed for water supply, power generation, and environmental health.