This bill modifies several U.S. Department of Agriculture programs to strengthen flood protection and make infrastructure more resilient to water-related disasters. The legislation expands the Emergency Watershed Program to allow the Agriculture Department to invest in restoration projects that go beyond addressing immediate flooding damage when doing so protects watersheds from future repeated damage. The bill increases federal funding for rehabilitating aging flood control structures, raising the standard federal contribution from current levels to 65 percent of costs (and up to 90 percent in economically disadvantaged areas), while requiring local organizations to cover costs for permits and water rights. Finally, the bill broadens the Regional Conservation Partnership Program to explicitly include flood prevention, mitigation, and resilience improvements as eligible project purposes alongside existing conservation goals. The legislation affects rural communities and local water management organizations that depend on these USDA programs for flood control infrastructure.
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