Hydroelectric Power Development Act of 1979

Title I: Water Resources Development - Directs the Secretary of the Army, through the Chief of Engineers, to make the following studies and surveys: (1) flood control of certain Mississippi River tributaries, Mississippi; (2) flood control of Saint Francis Lake, Arkansas; (3) river regulation for the Halifax River, Florida; (4) bank stabilization of the Illinois River, Illinois; (5) erosion control of the Kuskokwim River, Alaska; (6) flood control of the Kinnickinnic River, Wisconsin; (7) siltation problems on the Mississippi River, Illinois; (8) water conservation development in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (9) streambank erosion along the Tensaw River, Alabama; (10) water storage projects in northeast Texas; (11) navigation improvements to Buffalo Harbor, New York; (12) rehabilitating the hydroelectric potential at former industrial sites; (13) shoreline erosion damage caused by regulation of Lake Superior by the International Joint Commission-United States and Canada; and (14) river and harbor ice control.

Directs the Secretary, through the Chief of Engineers, to begin the design memorandum stage of advanced engineering and design of the following: (1) navigation and design of the following: (1) navigation project at Grays Harbor, Washington; (2) flood control project for the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake River Basins, New York and the Byram River, Connecticut; (3) flood control project for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; (4) water supply project for the New York metropolitan area; (5) navigation project for the Gulfport Harbor, Mississippi; (6) navigation project for Oakland Outer Harbor, California; (7) multiple purpose improvements on the Missouri River, South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Montana; and (8) navigation improvement project at Brazos Island Harbor, Texas. Authorizes the Secretary to proceed with the engineering and design of such projects upon findings by the Chief of Engineers that such projects are without substantial controversy and in accordance with recommended conditions.

Authorizes the Secretary, through the Chief of Engineers, to carry out the following: (1) navigation project for Kodiak Harbor, Alaska; (2) navigation project for Tacoma harbor, Washington; (3) flood control project on the Agana River, Guam; (4) navigation project on the Chetco River, Oregon; (5) flood control project for the Root River Basin, Minnesota; (6) erosion control and flood protection projects for the Panama City Beaches, Florida; (7) flood control project for the Des Moines River Basin, Iowa and Minnesota; (8) flood control project on the Cazenovia Creek, New York; (9) flood control project on the Little Wood River, Idaho; (10) navigation project for Greenville Harbor, Mississippi; (11) navigation project for the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway; (12) flood control project for the Rahway River Basin New Jersey; (13) flood control project on the Chehalis River, Washington; (14) flood control for the Bushley Bayou area, Louisiana; (15) powerhouse project for the McNary Lock and Dam, Oregon and Washington; (16) flood protection project for Wears Creek, Missouri; (17) power generating facilities for the Libby Reregulating Dam, Montana; (18) light-draft investigation project for San Francisco Harbor, California; (19) flood control project for Logan and Nelsonville, Ohio; (20) beach erosion project for Coney Island, New York; (21) flood protection for Saint Johns Bayou, New Madrid, Missouri; (22) flood control on the Johns Creek Tributary, Tennessee (23) erosion control in the Nonconnah Creek Basin, Tennessee; (24) Cleveland Harbor improvements, Ohio, (25) beach erosion control at Jekyll Island, Georgia; (26) navigation project for Savannah Harbor, Georgia; and (27) strip mining reclamation project for Cabin Creek, West Virginia.

Directs the Secretary, through the Chief of Engineers, to modify the following projects: (1) Galveston Bay, Texas, flood protection project to provide payments and benefits to certain property owners; (2) Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway navigation project, Virginia and North Carolina regarding certain bridges; (3) Sandridge Dam, New York, flood control project to authorize the construction of channel improvements along Ellicott Creek; (4) Obion Creek, Kentucky, project to authorize the acquisition of woodlands for wildlife management and recreation; (5) Barbers Point Harbor, Hawaii, navigation project to require non-Federal contribution to Federal construction costs; (6) Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii, project to delete the requirement for an initial cash contribution from local interests; (7) New London, Connecticut, flood control project to credit certain costs paid by the city against the requirement for non-Federal contributions; (8) Lynnhaven Inlet and Bay, Virginia, navigation project to provide for Federal payment for specified remedial work; (9) Lower Mississippi River flood control project to authorize such measures necessary to insure the stability of the Old River Control Complex, Louisiana; (10) Wenatchee, Washington, flood control project to authorize the acquisition of lands if local interest agree to reimburse the United States; (11) Houston Ship Channel (Greens Bayou), Texas navigation project to authorize necessary dredging operations; (12) Los Esteros Lake, Pecos River, New Mexico, project to authorize certain expenditures for the recovery of cultural resource data; (13) Lucky Peak Lake, Idaho, project to provide for an increase in the diameter of the additional dam outlet; (14) South Platte River Basin, Colorado, flood control project to authorize the reassignment of a portion of the storage space in the Chatfield Lake project for joint flood control and conservation purposes; and (15) Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, flood protection project to authorize the construction of necessary protective features to locally constructed pumping stations.

Terminates the following: (1) Trexler Lake, Pennsylvania, flood control project,; (2) a portion of the project for the Nansemond River, Virginia; (3) Helm Reservoir, Illinois, flood control project; (4) Kickapoo River, Wisconsin, flood control project; and (5) any resolution for review of any water resource report if funds have not yet been expended for such purpose. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress concerning the desirability of such studies and on a means of deauthorizing such studies.

Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 to authorize appropriations through fiscal year 1982. Postpones the termination date for certain certification reports. Extends the Secretary's authority to provide periodic beach nourishment. Repeals the requirement that a specified water diversion structure not conflict with the Secretary's report.

Amends the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 to increase the authorized appropriation for the streambank erosion prevention and control demonstration program. Authorizes the Secretary to provide to any person or agency, upon request technical assistance to retard streambank erosion. Extends the national shoreline erosion control development and demonstration program.

Increases the authorization of appropriations for dam repair on the Big Sandy River, Kentucky and West Virginia. Authorizes the Secretary to maintain a clear channel on the Little Calumet River, Illinois, with non-Federal interests paying a portion of the costs of such maintenance.

Provides for a modification of the agreement with Saint Bernard Parish, Louisiana, concerning installment payments on the Lake Pontchartrain hurricane-flood protection project. Increases the authorization of appropriations for streambank protection works for Boone County, Kentucky. Increases the authorization of appropriations for the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Amends the River and Harbor Act of 1970 to extend the time for submitting reports to Congress on the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway navigation season extension. Increases the authorization of appropriations for such purposes. Requires non-Federal interests to contribute a portion of the costs of maintaining a clear channel on the North Branch of the Chicago River, Illinois.

Amends the Flood Control Act of 1970 to delete the requirement for written agreements with non-Federal interests concerning reimbursement of costs. Permits States to repay the costs of water supply storage through revenues received by the State from the sale of such water.

Amends the River and Harbor Act of 1960 to raise the ceiling on allotments for any single small river and harbor improvement project. Amends the River and Harbor Act of 1958 to increase the authorization of appropriations for the control of aquatic plant growths.

Authorizes the replacement and expansion of the existing industrial canal lock and connecting channels in the vicinity of Meraux, Louisiana.

Amends the Flood Control Act of 1954 to authorize the Secretary to provide technical assistance to States for removing obstructions and clearing channels. Increases the ceiling for allotments to any single shore protection project. Amends the Flood Control Act of 1946 to provide that the conservation storage capacity of the Belton Reservoir, Texas, be available for water supply as well as irrigation. Amends the Flood Control Act of 1941 to authorize the Secretary to use a flood emergency fund to control lava flow.

Makes killing a civilian employee of the Corps of Engineers a Federal crime.

Directs the Secretary to establish a Tennessee-Tombigbee Human Resource Center to monitor and assist minority employment on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway project, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. Repeals the provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 1976 concerning minority hiring.

Authorizes the Secretary as a part of water resource development projects to: (1) implement the plan for land replacement for the Trimble Wildlife Area, Missouri; (2) modify such projects for mitigation of damages to fish and wildlife; (3) preserve historic properties located on such projects; and (4) acquire real property to be used for public works and recreation purposes as a part of such projects. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to compile a list of bridges over the navigable waters of the United States constructed or removed. Directs the Secretary of the Army to compile laws relating to water resource development. Modifies: (1) the contract with Illinois concerning payments for use of storage space for water supply in Rend Lake and (2) financing of the sand bypassing facility authorized as part of the Santa Cruz Harbor, California, navigation project.

Declares: (1) portions of the Trent River, North Carolina, to be nonnavigable and (2) the Port of Houston Authority bridge over Greens Bayou, to be a lawful bridge.

Directs the Secretary to construct flood control measures on portions of the Big Sandy River, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the Cumberland River, Kentucky. Directs Federal agencies granting hydroelectric power licenses to simplify and expedite such applications.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) plan and make recommendations to Congress concerning construction of water supply projects to meet existing future demand, (2) renovate Federal quarters at Dalecarlia Reservoir, Washington, D.C.; (3) construct a public recreation area on the Ohio River, Indiana; (4) take authority over and assure the structural integrity of Trilby Wash Detention Basin (McMicken Dam), Arizona; (5) relocate the water supply intake facility on the Missouri River, South Dakota; (6) reimburse local interests for certain improvements to the Galveston Harbor, and Channel Texas, navigation project; and (7) design a flood control project at Milton, Pennsylvania.

Title II: Hydroelectric Power Development Fund - Hydroelectric Power Development Act of 1979 - Establishes, under the Water Resources Development Act of 1976, a Hydroelectric Power Development Fund for the development of hydroelectric power generating facilities.

Title III: Dam Inspection and Safety Program - Amends the national dam inspection program to exempt States with an approved dam safety program from the Secretary of the Army's national inspection program. Directs the Secretary to provide assistance to States maintaining approved assistance to States maintaining approved dams safety programs. Provides for insurance guarantees to enable dam owners to obtain liability insurance at reasonable rates. Establishes a Federal Dam Safety Review Board.

Sets forth the authority of the Secretary when inspecting dams. Exempts contractors from liability beyond the amount of any contract entered into pursuant to the Act.