Protect Our Water Rights Act

HR 289, the "Protect Our Water Rights Act," sets minimum water allocation percentages for agricultural contractors in the Sacramento River Watershed of California's Central Valley Project (CVP) based on drought conditions. It guarantees these contractors at least 100% of their contracted water in Wet and Above Normal years, 75% in Below Normal years, and 50% in Dry or Critically Dry years, while requiring their allocations to be at least double those for south-of-Delta CVP contractors. The bill explicitly does not affect municipal/industrial water policies, Friant Division allocations, or operations of the American River Division. It also reverses cost obligations between contractors and the Bureau of Reclamation and requires a report on debts related to the Klamath River Basin Reclamation Project.