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WASHINGTON — The last time there was a comprehensive federal study of water in the West — 1978 — even Al Gore had not yet started talking about global warming.

New Mexico's senators, Silver City Democrat Jeff Bingaman and Albuquerque Republican Pete Domenici, want a new survey that will look at the projected impact of climate change on water resources in the West as well as offer new federal aid for communities to conserve and develop water resources.

On Tuesday, they held a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on their bill, the Secure Water Act.

"Water has always been a priority in the West," Bingaman said. "Nonetheless, the stakes are higher now as the confluence of drought, climate change, population increases and environmental needs are testing water manager sin unprecedented ways."

"The U.S. government must spend more in the future on water," Domenici said.

The government now allocates grants of up to $300,000 to assist western communities with water, but the most that has ever been appropriated for the program is $11 million while there are usually between $30 million and $40 million worth of requests.

Although the bill would authorize new federal studies and aid, it would not override any state water laws or jurisdiction.

That brought an amen from New Mexico State Engineer John D'Antonio, representing the Western States Water Council, an advisory group to 18 western governors.

He said they strongly support provisions for federal grants to assist states in developing a database on water usage and supplies.

The president of the Family Farm Alliance also endorsed the bill. Patrick O'Toole, a farmer from the Wyoming-Colorado border, said, "We're seeing things on the ground that tell me as a farmer that there are changes."

Sen. Ken Salazar, a Colorado Democrat, quoted one study as predicting that a two degree increase in temperate would result in a 6 percent increase in drought and a 12 percent decrease in water supply.

"The science of the impact of climate change is still in its infancy," said Robert Hirsch, associate director for water for the U. S. Geological Survey.

Representing the Bush administration, Robert Johnson, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, said they support the goals of the bill but have some concerns about ambitious timelines to complete studies and possible impact on federal spending. (The Congressional Budget Office has not yet done a cost estimate.)

The only serious objection came from freshman Sen. John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican. He said the bill is focused too narrowly on the impact of climate change on water and authorizes too many new federal grant programs — five. He predicted the measure could lead to environmental lawsuits.

Although it's still possible the Energy Committee could act on the bill this year, it's unlikely see any action by the full Senate until next year.