Rio Grande canalization project; flood and sediment control; agreements authorized; control gates; costs; authorization of appropriations

For the purposes of facilitating and implementing operation and maintenance of the international Rio Grande canalization project, the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, is authorized to enter into agreements with the appropriate official or officials of local organizations, as defined in the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of August 4, 1954 , as amended [ 16 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.], for the maintenance by said local organizations either directly or indirectly through mutually satisfactory maintenance agreements with others, including the United States, of all those flood and arroyo sediment control dams, together with all related works, hereafter installed or constructed in the Rio Grande watershed between Caballo Dam and El Paso, Texas, in accordance with said Act, and which are necessary, in the opinion of Said Commissioner, to facilitate and implement the operation and maintenance of said project.

Such maintenance agreements between the local organization and the United States shall provide the extent of contribution by the United States as may be mutually agreed by the two parties, based on the degree of benefits to be derived from said dams and related works, and the contribution by the United States may be either in the form of funds or performance of the actual operation and maintenance.

Control gates shall not be installed on any of the dams which, in the opinion of the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, are necessary to facilitate and implement the operation and maintenance of the Rio Grande canalization project.

Arrangements made between the United States and the local organizations shall be satisfactory to the Secretary of Agriculture for defraying cost of maintaining such work of improvement in accordance with regulations prescribed by said Secretary.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated not in excess of $50,000 per annum for contributions to maintenance authorized by this section.

( Pub. L. 88–600 , Sept. 18, 1964 , 78 Stat. 956 ; Pub. L. 93–126, § 7(c) , Oct. 18, 1973 , 87 Stat. 452 .)