PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 999.
Congressional Research Service
Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Sep 16, 2008
Cooperative Watershed Management Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Cooperative Watershed Management Program, under which the Secretary shall provide grants to form or enlarge a watershed group or to conduct water management projects in accordance with the goals of such a group.
Defines a "watershed group" as a self-sustaining, cooperative watershed-wide group that: (1) is comprised of representatives of the affected stakeholders of the relevant watershed; (2) is a grassroots, nonregulatory entity that addresses water availability and quality issues within the relevant watershed; (3) is capable of promoting the sustainable use of the water resources of the relevant watershed and improving the functioning condition of rivers and streams through water conservation, improved water quality, ecological resiliency, and the reduction of water conflicts; and (4) makes decisions on a consensus basis. Requires a watershed group to include: (1) representatives of hydroelectric production, livestock grazing, timber production, land development, recreation or tourism, irrigated agricultural production, the environment, potable water purveyors and industrial water users, and private property owners within the watershed; (2) any federal, state, or local agency agency that has authority regarding the watershed; and (3) any Indian tribe member who owns land within the watershed or land held in trust.
Authorizes the Secretary, in distributing grant funds, to give priority to watershed groups that represent maximum diversity of interest or serve subbasin-sized watersheds with an eight-digit hydrologic unit code. Sets forth usage and progress requirements for, procedures for awarding, and federal shares of the costs of first-, second-, and third-phase grants.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires: (1) annual reports by watershed groups to the Secretary on progress; and (2) reports every five years by the Secretary to specified congressional committees on Program benefits and effectiveness.
Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2020.
People & committees
Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT] · D–MT
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 999.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Bingaman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 110-603.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5206-5208)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5206)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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