A bill to provide temporary authorities to the Secretary of the Interior to facilitate emergency actions to mitigate the impacts of the 1976-77 drought.

(Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 5117)

Directs the Secretary of the Interior: (1) to study opportunities to augment, utilize or conserve water supplies available to Federal reclamation projects and Indian irrigation projects and to undertake conservation activities to mitigate damages to such projects from the 1976- 77 drought period; (2) to acquire water supplies by temporary lease of water rights from willing sellers and to redistribute such water to irrigators to minimize losses and damages resulting from the drought; and (3) to evaluate studies of potential facilities to mitigate the effects of a recurrence of drought and make recommendations to the President and to Congress evaluating such facilities.

Authorizes the Secretary to defer without penalty the 1977 payments of any installment charges owed to the United States by irrigators as he deems necessary because of financial hardship caused by extreme drought conditions.

Requires the Secretary to report to Congress by March 1, 1978, on expenditures under this Act.

Authorizes the Secretary to make loans to irrigators for specified activities undertaken to mitigate drought losses and damages.

Authorizes the appropriation of $100,000,000 to carry out the water purchase and reallocation program authorized by this Act.