H.R. 9497
Water Resources Development Act of 2026
Sponsor: Sam Graves
3 cosponsors
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
I General Provisions
Where this section came from
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Jun 29, 2026 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Jun 29
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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.
… 2 unchanged passages …
(A) by striking the section
designator
designation
and
heading and
all that follows through recognized and inserting the following:
… 18 unchanged passages …
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (10) as clauses (
i
A
) through (
x
J
), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; (4) in the matter preceding
clause
subparagraph
(
i
A
), as so redesignated, by striking In carrying out and inserting the following:
… 8 unchanged passages …
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.
(a) Clarification of Federal policy related to comprehensive flooding and nonstructural approaches
(1) Declaration of policy. Section 1 of the Act of June 22, 1936 (33 U.S.C. 701a) is amended—
(A) by striking the section designation and heading and all that follows through recognized and inserting the following:
1. Declaration of policy
(a) In general. It is recognized
(B) by inserting , other water bodies, and shorelines after the rivers;
(C) by inserting that such destructive floods can originate or be augmented by the isolated or combined impacts of water from a variety of drivers, such as riverine discharges, extreme weather events, coastal and tidal flooding, sea level rise, subsidence, and stormwater; after national welfare;;
(D) by inserting (including the reduction of comprehensive flood risk from the isolated and compound effects of any of the drivers identified in section 8106(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (33 U.S.C. 2282g(a))) before is a proper activity;
(E) by inserting (including the study and implementation of water resources development projects that provide comprehensive flood risk reduction) before are in the interest of the general welfare; and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
(b) Nonstructural approaches. It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) structural features and nonstructural features should be given equal consideration in every feasibility study conducted by the Chief of Engineers for flood risk management or hurricane and storm damage risk reduction; and
(2) the implementation of nonstructural features determined by the Chief of Engineers to align with the policy established by section 2031(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 1962–3) is part of the primary mission of the Corps of Engineers for flood risk management and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction.
(2) Definition of flood control. Section 2 of the Act of December 22, 1944 (33 U.S.C. 701a–1) is amended by inserting and the reduction of comprehensive flood risk from the isolated and compound effects of any of the drivers identified in section 8106(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (33 U.S.C. 2282g(a)); after damages,.
(b) Clarification on scope of feasibility studies for comprehensive flood risk. Section 8106(a) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (33 U.S.C. 2282g(a)) is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking shall formulate and inserting shall include in the study any effects within the geographic scope of the study of, and formulate;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking frequency and inserting frequency, including flooding associated with stormwater that flows at a rate of less than 800 cubic feet per second for the 10-percent flood;
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (10) as clauses (A) through (J), respectively, and adjusting the margins accordingly;
(4) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking In carrying out and inserting the following:
(1) In general. In carrying out
; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
(2) Recommendation of comprehensive flood risk reduction alternative. If the Secretary determines that a project alternative identified by the non-Federal interest pursuant to paragraph (1) is feasible, the Secretary shall incorporate such alternative in the recommended plan for the project as a project feature the costs of which are shared as construction.
II Studies and Reports
III Deauthorizations and Modifications
IV Water Resources Infrastructure
V Dam Safety