Water Resources Planning and Research Assistance Amendments Act

Water Resources Planning and Research Assistance Amendments Act - Title I: Amendments to Title I of the Water Resources Planning Act - The Water Resources Council: Amends the Water Resources Planning Act to revise the membership of the Water Resources Council to include Assistant Secretaries of the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, the Army, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation. Includes as permanent members of the Commission (1) an Assitant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, (2) a Member of the Federal Power Commission, and (3) a Chairman, possessing specified qualifications, to be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Authorizes the President to appoint additional members to the Council as representatives of affected Federal agencies and departments. Limits such appointments to the period during which this program is in effect, subject to the condition that an Assistanct Secretary or Administrator for water-related matters shall be appointed.

Lists additional duties of the Council, including periodic review of national water resources research and planning activities, assistance in the preparation of annual and long-range consideration, coordination with Federal and State agencies, and advice to the President on the water resources planning impacts on Federal budgets.

Directs the President to transmit an annual water resources report to Congress, with the assistance of the Council.

Establishes a non-Federal advisory committee composed of representatives from each river basin to offer advice and recommendations to the Council.

Establishes within the Council an Office of Waters Resources Research, to function under the general direction of the Chairman of the Couuncil.

Amends the Water Resources Research Act of 1964 to authorize the transfer of activities under such Act from the Secretary of the Interior to the Water Resources Council.

Authorizes the Council to make grants to firms, local governments, and individuals for water resources research and technology development. Authorizes the appropriation of $10,000,000, for each fiscal year from 1977 to 1987, inclusive, for such purposes.

Prescribes procedures for determination of patent rights to inventions developed in Federal-assisted water resources programs under the Water Resources Research Act.

Title II: Amendments to Title II of the Water Resources Planning Act - River Basin Commissions - Amends the Water Resources Planning Act to direct Federal river basin commissions to coordinate federally-assisted State programs for water related planning in addition to existing responsibilities.

Title III: Amendments to Title III of the Water Resources Planning Act - Financial Assistance to States - Revises procedures for assistance to States in developing comprehensive water resources plans to stipulate that (1) funds be made available on the basis of two Federal dollars to every one State dollar, and (2) that the annual amount of such assistance to any State shall not exceed $200,000,000. Authorizes the appropriation of unexpended funds on a dollar-for-dollar bases to States which require additional sums for such planning activities.

Stipulates that the provisions of this Act shall become effective October 1, 1977.