Water is the most precious resource in the American West, and there is often a conflict between providing water for farms and cities versus leaving water in rivers for endangered species. This bill matters because it shifts more influence to local water users. If passed, it could make it harder for the federal government to reduce water deliveries for environmental reasons without first proving that no less-damaging options exist. For a farmer, this could be the difference between having enough water for a harvest or facing a dry season; for an environmentalist, it might look like an attempt to prioritize industry over preventing the extinction of a species.