HR 9785 — South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act

Summary

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct feasibility studies for three water supply projects in the Missouri River basin: Western South Dakota, Lewis and Clark Regional Water System expansion, and Dakota Mainstem.
Requires the Secretary to develop feasibility reports recommending whether each proposed project should be authorized for construction and determining the appropriate non-Federal share of costs.
Requires the non-Federal share of construction costs to be at least 25 percent, based on analysis of the non-Federal entity's financial capability to pay.
Establishes that the Federal share of feasibility study costs shall not exceed 50 percent.
Authorizes $10 million in appropriations for each of the three feasibility studies.
Sets a 10-year limit on the authority to conduct each feasibility study, expiring 10 years after enactment.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large] (R-SD)

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Dusty Johnson’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

NULL $68,175
SANFORD HEALTH $31,000
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA $28,050
AVERA HEALTH $18,200
VANTAGE POINT $15,205

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Dusty Johnson → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)

Jul 20, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
Jul 20, 2026 Introduced in House

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Full text

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 20, 2026

Mr. Johnson of South Dakota introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies to determine the feasibility of constructing projects to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water in certain parts of the Missouri River basin, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title.—This Act may be cited as the “South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act”.

(b) Table of Contents.—The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

TITLE I—WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY

Sec. 101. Short title. Sec. 102. Definitions. Sec. 103. Western South Dakota water supply project feasibility study.

TITLE II—LEWIS AND CLARK REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM EXPANSION FEASIBILITY STUDY

Sec. 201. Short title. Sec. 202. Definitions. Sec. 203. Lewis and Clark Regional Water System expansion feasibility study.

TITLE III—DAKOTA MAINSTEM WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY

Sec. 301. Short title. Sec. 302. Definitions. Sec. 303. Dakota Mainstem water supply project feasibility study.

TITLE I—WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY

SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the “Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act”.

SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.

In this title:

(1) Non-federal project entity.—The term “non-Federal project entity” means the Western Dakota Regional Water System, Inc., a nonprofit corporation.

(2) Proposed rural water supply project.—The term “proposed rural water supply project” means the proposed project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water from the Missouri River to the Western Dakota Regional Water System.

(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 103. WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WATER SUPPLY PROJECT FEASIBILITY STUDY.

(a) Study.—

(1) In general.—The Secretary, in coordination with the non-Federal project entity, shall carry out a study to determine the feasibility of the proposed rural water supply project.

(2) Feasibility report.—After completion of the feasibility study for the proposed rural water supply project under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(A) develop a feasibility report that includes a recommendation of the Secretary on—

(i) whether the proposed rural water supply project should be authorized for construction; and

(ii) the appropriate non-Federal share of construction costs, which shall be—

(I) at least 25 percent of the total construction costs; and

(II) determined based on an analysis of the financial capability- to-pay the allocated construction and operations, maintenance, and replacement costs of the recommended plan;

(B) submit the report under subparagraph (A) to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives; and

(C) make the report under subparagraph (A) publicly available, along with associated feasibility study documents.

(3) Consultation and cooperation.—In addition to the non- Federal project entity, the Secretary shall consult and cooperate with appropriate Federal, State, Tribal, regional, and local authorities during the conduct of the feasibility study and development of the feasibility report under this subsection.

(b) Cost-Sharing Agreement for Feasibility Study Costs.—The Secretary shall enter into a cost-sharing agreement (or an appropriate financial assistance agreement, as determined by the Secretary) with the non-Federal project entity to conduct a study under subsection (a) that complies with the reclamation feasibility standards.

(c) Federal Share of Feasibility Study Costs.—The Federal share of the total costs of carrying out the feasibility study under subsection

(a) shall not exceed 50 percent.

(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000.

(e) Termination of Authority.—The authority provided by this section expires on the date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

TITLE II—LEWIS AND CLARK REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM EXPANSION FEASIBILITY STUDY

SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

This title may be cited as the “Lewis and Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act”.

SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.

In this title:

(1) Non-federal project entity.—The term “non-Federal project entity” means—

(A) the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, Inc.; and

(B) any nonprofit successor entity to the corporation described in subparagraph (A).

(2) Proposed rural water supply project.—The term “proposed rural water supply project” means the proposed project to supply municipal, rural, and industrial water to expand the capacity and reach of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System in the States of Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 203. LEWIS AND CLARK REGIONAL WATER SYSTEM EXPANSION FEASIBILITY STUDY.