Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-73

§701a Declaration of policy of 1936 act

Title 33 › Chapter CHAPTER 15— - FLOOD CONTROL › § 701a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The federal government should work with states and local governments to control floods on navigable rivers and their tributaries. Big floods hurt people, homes, land, navigation, roads, railroads, and interstate commerce, so flood control is important for the nation's welfare. The government may study and improve rivers and watersheds for flood control because it helps the public. Federal help should be provided when the expected benefits are greater than the costs and when people's lives and safety are at risk.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §701a

Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is recognized that destructive floods upon the rivers of the United States, upsetting orderly processes and causing loss of life and property, including the erosion of lands, and impairing and obstructing navigation, highways, railroads, and other channels of commerce between the States, constitute a menace to national welfare; that it is the sense of Congress that flood control on navigable waters or their tributaries is a proper activity of the Federal Government in cooperation with States, their political subdivisions, and localities thereof; that investigations and improvements of rivers and other waterways, including watersheds thereof, for flood-control purposes are in the interest of the general welfare; that the Federal Government should improve or participate in the improvement of navigable waters or their tributaries, including watersheds thereof, for flood-control purposes if the benefits to whomsoever they may accrue are in excess of the estimated costs, and if the lives and social security of people are otherwise adversely affected.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 701a

Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73