S. 4949: Water Resources Development Act of 2026

This bill updates and expands a wide range of federal water resources and water infrastructure programs, with many provisions focused on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, drinking water, wastewater, flood protection, navigation, and environmental restoration.

Army Corps of Engineers planning, reporting, and project delivery

The bill adds new requirements for the Army Corps of Engineers to brief Congress, report on implementation progress, explain delays, and provide information on rulemaking, staffing, capability, and funding needs. It also streamlines or speeds up review and study processes for many Corps projects, including continuing authority studies, project modifications, and some environmental reviews. For some small projects, it limits the scope of NEPA review, which is the federal environmental review process.

It expands or adjusts the Corps’ authority over real estate, navigation, shoreline protection, emergency response, and other project-related activities. It also revises how costs are shared, credited, or reimbursed for certain navigation and water projects, and includes project-specific changes for locations across the country.

Flood control, storm protection, and shoreline measures

The bill strengthens federal support for nonstructural flood and storm risk reduction measures. These include voluntary property acquisition, structure elevation, and other mitigation tools that can reduce damage from flooding and storms. It also expands emergency shoreline protection authority and directs faster action on selected flood and navigation studies and reports.

Several provisions address local flood problems and coastal or river-related risks in specific places, including Juneau, Charleston, Oceanside, Buffalo Bayou, Honolulu Harbor, Florida estuaries, and other locations. In some cases, the bill authorizes project modifications, study acceleration, or additional briefings to Congress.

Water infrastructure funding and project changes

The bill provides funding and authorization changes for numerous water infrastructure projects across many states and localities. These include navigation, flood control, ecosystem restoration, dam-related work, and other civil works projects. It also raises some funding caps, extends deadlines, adjusts cost-sharing rules, and makes project-specific changes for places such as Lake Eufaula, Nome, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, the Great Lakes region, Rio Grande, Lake Tahoe, Mobile Harbor, and others.

Some provisions also deauthorize selected portions of earlier flood or navigation projects, while others authorize land-conveyance studies or analyses tied to project delivery.

Drinking water, clean water, and public health programs

The bill reauthorizes and expands several drinking water and clean water programs through 2030. It increases support for lead reduction, water system resilience, rural infrastructure, filtration pilots, workforce training, and regional restoration efforts. It also broadens the use of federal funding for PFAS and other emerging contaminants, and adds support for small and disadvantaged communities.

In addition, the bill expands invasive species and dam safety programs, and includes changes intended to help communities that face higher costs or have fewer resources to meet water infrastructure needs.

New EPA and cybersecurity programs

The bill creates a Southeast New England Program within EPA to provide grants for watershed restoration and protection. It coordinates that effort with other agencies and authorizes $7.5 million per year from 2027 through 2030.

It also establishes a water-sector cybersecurity program, authorizing $10 million per year. This program is meant to support cybersecurity work for water utilities and related systems, along with reporting requirements and related policy changes. The bill also includes amendments related to plastic waste, aquifers, and other water-policy topics.

Other requirements and oversight

The bill directs or encourages better transparency around design costs and earlier planning for some projects, and it requires more coordination and reporting between agencies and Congress. It also includes Government Accountability Office reviews on topics such as non-Federal contributions, induced flooding, and design services.

Relevant Companies

None found