Water Resources Development Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9497
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Water Resources Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T14:17:15Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This Act authorizes improvements to U.S. rivers and harbors, supports conservation and development of water and related resources, and addresses other water-related needs. It focuses on flood risk management, navigation, ecosystem restoration, water supply, and coastal storm protection through projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Key Provisions
- Creates four new offices inside the Corps of Engineers Directorate of Civil Works to handle inland navigation construction, water supply and drought issues, technical assistance to communities, and alternative project delivery methods.
- Authorizes dozens of new feasibility studies and project modifications for flood control, navigation, and ecosystem restoration in states including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
- Raises funding limits for continuing authority programs, dam safety initiatives, environmental infrastructure projects, and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
- Updates rules for dredged material management, levee certifications, permit processing, and real estate interests needed for projects.
- Deauthorizes certain inactive projects and modifies or extends existing authorities for beach nourishment, navigation, and flood protection.
- Requires studies on topics such as forecast-informed reservoir operations, post-disaster watershed assessments, and workforce needs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Revises permitting and study processes to speed up project delivery, including electronic tracking of applications and categorical permissions for certain activities.
- Adjusts cost-sharing rules and allows greater use of contributed funds and alternative delivery methods.
- Expands the scope of environmental reviews and mitigation requirements for fish and wildlife impacts.
- Updates liability protections for sediment removal activities and strengthens coordination requirements with non-Federal partners.
- Increases annual authorization levels for programs such as the Lakes Program, Chesapeake Bay oyster recovery, and various continuing authorities.
Potential Impacts
- Improves flood protection, navigation safety, and water supply reliability for communities in multiple states.
- Supports ecosystem restoration and resilience measures against droughts, wildfires, and coastal storms.
- May reduce project delays through streamlined reviews and new organizational structures within the Corps of Engineers.
- Affects local governments and project sponsors through updated cost-sharing and real estate requirements.
- Enhances coordination between federal, state, tribal, and local entities on water resources planning.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its districts.
- Non-Federal project sponsors, including state and local governments, tribes, and levee owners.
- Communities and businesses in project areas (ports, flood-prone regions, and agricultural or urban water users).
- Federal agencies involved in environmental reviews and dam safety.
- Congress, through authorization, oversight, and funding decisions.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Relies on federal authority over navigation and commerce to fund infrastructure improvements.
- Updates environmental liability rules under existing statutes while maintaining cost-recovery mechanisms.
- Includes provisions for tribal consultation and support for rural and underserved communities.
- Bipartisan introduction reflects broad congressional interest in water infrastructure resilience and efficient project delivery.
- Requires regular reporting to Congress on implementation, studies, and workforce needs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-30: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- 2026-06-29: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-06-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Water Resources Development Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-29 — PDF (341 pages)