H.R. 9497

Water Resources Development Act of 2026

Sponsor: Sam Graves

3 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Water Resources Development Act of 2026

This bill authorizes and modifies certain water resource infrastructure projects and programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and makes related requirements. For example, the bill authorizes and modifies various water resources feasibility studies and projects of the Corps of Engineers, such as studies or projects to

  • maintain ports and harbors,
  • make certain waterways more navigable,
  • reduce flood and storm damage,
  • restore aquatic ecosystems and protect fish and wildlife,
  • protect shorelines,
  • address harmful algal blooms,
  • rehabilitate dams,
  • manage recreational sites and facilities,
  • support water supply and storage projects, and
  • support other water resources infrastructure.

The bill also directs the Corps of Engineers to establish an Office on Alternative Delivery Methods in order to accelerate project delivery of infrastructure. 

In addition, the bill directs the Corps of Engineers to issue a rule that establishes categorical permissions for certain harbor or river improvements that will cause only minimal adverse environmental effects.

Text of the bill

Expand all

I General Provisions

II Studies and Reports

III Deauthorizations and Modifications

IV Water Resources Infrastructure

Sec. 401. Project authorizations Changed · Sep 3

Where this section came from

  1. Jun 29, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Jun 29
  2. Sep 3, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Jul 14 Reported by House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Sep 3 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
What changed in the text

… 1 unchanged passage …

(1) Navigation. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. MSGulfport Harbor, Gulfport, Deep Draft NavigationJune 23, 2026Federal: $411,114,000Non-Federal: $137,102,000Total: $548,216,000 2. WA & OR ORColumbia Columbia River Turning Basins Navigation Improvements ImprovementsSeptember September 26, 2025 Federal 2025Federal : $16,408,000Non-Federal: $5,489,000Total: $21,897,000 (2) Flood risk management. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. KYKentucky River, Beattyville Flood Risk Management Project, Lee CountyMarch 24, 2026Federal: $7,979,000Non-Federal: $4,562,000Total: $12,541,000 2. NY, NJNew York–New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study, East Riser, New Jersey Actionable ElementJuly 6, 2026Federal: $180,916,000Non-Federal: $97,417,000Total: $278,333,000 (3) Ecosystem Restoration. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. MOLower Osage River Basin, Miller, Osage, and Cole Counties, Aquatic Ecosystem RestorationJuly 6, 2026Federal: $95,334,000Non-Federal: $51,333,000Total: $146,667,000 2. WYLittle Goose Creek, SheridanJune 4, 2026Federal: $45,333,000 Non-Federal: $35,601,000 Total: $80,934,000

… 1 unchanged passage …

(5) Modifications and other projects. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Decision DocumentD. Estimated Costs 1. AZRio de Flag, FlagstaffJune Flagstaff June 12, 2026Total: $244,633,000 2. CAPort of Long Beach Deep Draft Navigation project, Los Angeles CountyJune 11, 2026Total: $255,811,000 3. FL FLCentral Central and Southern Florida, Canal 111 (C-111) South Dade Project October 14, 2025 Federal: $477,280,500Non-Federal: $477,280,500Total: $954,561,000 4. FLComprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Central Everglades Planning ProjectJune 16, 2026 Federal: $6,160,809,000Non-Federal: $6,160,809,000Total: $12,321,618,000 5. KYKentucky Lock Addition, Lower Cumberland and Tennessee RiversJune 11, 2026Total 2026Federal : $2, 056,161,750Non-Federal: $685,387,250Total: $2, 741,549,000 5 6 . MS MSMemphis Memphis Metropolitan Stormwater — – North DeSoto County Feasibility Study, DeSoto County CountyMarch March 10, 2026 Federal 2026Federal : $47,341,000Non-Federal: $25,491,000Total: $72,832,000 6 7 . TNChickamauga Lock Replacement Project, Chickamauga Lake, Hamilton CountyJune 11, 2026Total 2026Federal : $1, 175,090,250Non-Federal: $391,696,750Total: $1, 566,787,000

What is a markup?

A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

The following projects for water resources development and conservation and other purposes, as identified in the reports titled Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development submitted to Congress pursuant to section 7001 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 2282d) or otherwise reviewed by Congress, are authorized to be carried out by the Secretary substantially in accordance with the plans, and subject to the conditions, described in the respective reports or decision documents designated in this section:

(1) Navigation. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. MSGulfport Harbor, Gulfport, Deep Draft NavigationJune 23, 2026Federal: $411,114,000Non-Federal: $137,102,000Total: $548,216,000 2. WA & ORColumbia River Turning Basins Navigation ImprovementsSeptember 26, 2025Federal: $16,408,000Non-Federal: $5,489,000Total: $21,897,000

(2) Flood risk management. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. KYKentucky River, Beattyville Flood Risk Management Project, Lee CountyMarch 24, 2026Federal: $7,979,000Non-Federal: $4,562,000Total: $12,541,000 2. NY, NJNew York–New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries Study, East Riser, New Jersey Actionable ElementJuly 6, 2026Federal: $180,916,000Non-Federal: $97,417,000Total: $278,333,000

(3) Ecosystem Restoration. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. MOLower Osage River Basin, Miller, Osage, and Cole Counties, Aquatic Ecosystem RestorationJuly 6, 2026Federal: $95,334,000Non-Federal: $51,333,000Total: $146,667,000 2. WYLittle Goose Creek, SheridanJune 4, 2026Federal: $45,333,000 Non-Federal: $35,601,000 Total: $80,934,000

(4) Hurricane and storm damage risk reduction. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Report of Chief of EngineersD. Estimated Costs 1. NCSurf City, Onslow and Pender Counties, North Carolina, Coastal Storm Risk ManagementJuly 15, 2025Initial Federal: $121,750,000Initial Non-Federal: $76,863,000Total: $198,613,000Renourishment Federal: $171,007,000Renourishment Non-Federal: $191,297,000Renourishment Total: $362,304,000

(5) Modifications and other projects. A. StateB. NameC. Date of Decision DocumentD. Estimated Costs 1. AZRio de Flag, Flagstaff June 12, 2026Total: $244,633,000 2. CAPort of Long Beach Deep Draft Navigation project, Los Angeles CountyJune 11, 2026Total: $255,811,000 3. FLCentral and Southern Florida, Canal 111 (C-111) South Dade Project October 14, 2025 Federal: $477,280,500Non-Federal: $477,280,500Total: $954,561,000 4. FLComprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Central Everglades Planning ProjectJune 16, 2026 Federal: $6,160,809,000Non-Federal: $6,160,809,000Total: $12,321,618,000 5. KYKentucky Lock Addition, Lower Cumberland and Tennessee RiversJune 11, 2026Federal: $2,056,161,750Non-Federal: $685,387,250Total: $2,741,549,000 6. MSMemphis Metropolitan Stormwater – North DeSoto County Feasibility Study, DeSoto CountyMarch 10, 2026Federal: $47,341,000Non-Federal: $25,491,000Total: $72,832,000 7. TNChickamauga Lock Replacement Project, Chickamauga Lake, Hamilton CountyJune 11, 2026Federal: $1,175,090,250Non-Federal: $391,696,750Total: $1,566,787,000

V Dam Safety