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119-s-324119th CongressWALLET
Smarter Weather Forecasting for Water Management, Farming, and Ranching Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
Introduced
Summary
Improving subseasonal-to-seasonal precipitation forecasts by directing NOAA to run two pilot projects: one to help water management in the western United States and one to support U.S. agriculture. The pilots would focus on better mountain and ocean-atmosphere observations and on model improvements, be run with universities and NOAA centers, include measurable operational goals, and the authority would expire five years after enactment.
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- Western water managers: Would target the science and operational modeling gaps that affect mountainous regions, including precipitation intensity, the rain-versus-snow split, atmospheric rivers, and ocean influences on storm tracks.
- Farmers and ranchers: Would aim to improve forecasts for warm-season precipitation, soil moisture and flash drought processes, and spring and summer large-scale flow anomalies to make agricultural forecasting more reliable.
- Researchers and NOAA operations: Would require engagement with institutions of higher education, Regional Climate Centers, and NOAA data centers, set measurable objectives for forecast improvement, and is backed by annual funding.
*Would authorize $45 million per year for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out the pilot projects.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Better forecasts for water and farms
This bill would direct NOAA to run at least two pilot projects to improve subseasonal-to-seasonal precipitation forecasts. One pilot would focus on water management in the western United States. One pilot would focus on agriculture across the United States. The projects would target issues like mountain model resolution, mountain boundary-layer modeling, atmospheric river forecasting, air-sea interactions, soil moisture and flash drought, and warm-season precipitation processes. The pilots would follow the National Weather Service’s 2020 recommendations, work with universities and NOAA centers (including Regional Climate Centers and the National Centers for Environmental Information), and coordinate with NOAA research and the National Weather Service. The bill would authorize $45,000,000 for each fiscal year 2025 through 2029, and the pilot authority would end five years after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
NV • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/29/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/4/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov