FLOODS Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
Became Law
Summary
Creates the National Integrated Flood Information System (NIFIS) at NOAA to centralize flood data and deliver timely, local-to-national flood forecasts and warnings. NIFIS pulls together streamflow, precipitation, soil moisture, snow, land cover, and other observations to produce usable forecasts, assess flood severity and travel, and share information with Federal, State, local, Tribal, and public users.
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- Families and local communities get clearer, locality-specific flood forecasts and severity guidance, plus a national Precipitation Frequency Atlas covering all U.S. states and territories; the Atlas is authorized at $3.5 million per year through 2030.
- Emergency managers, water operators, and infrastructure teams gain at least one Service Coordination Hydrologist at each River Forecast Center to coordinate impact-based decision support, explore forecast-informed reservoir operations, and improve public communication; NOAA must also review flash flood watch and warning practices and report within two years.
- Scientists and the workforce benefit from a new hydrologic research fellowship program with up to two-year fellowships, hiring pathways into federal agencies, public flood data access, and required snow-data gap analysis reported within 180 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger national flood warnings and support
NOAA runs a new national system to give early flood warnings and local forecasts. It collects streamflow, reservoirs, rain, soil moisture, snow, land cover, and other data. NOAA posts flood data online, free or at only the cost to prepare the data. Every River Forecast Center has a Service Coordination Hydrologist to work with local partners. NOAA must review flash flood watches and warnings, report to Congress within two years, and improve how risks and locations are communicated.
Hydrology fellowships and direct federal hiring
U.S. citizens in research-based graduate programs can get hydrologic fellowships for up to two years. The program gives preference to HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions. Fellows work on NOAA research priorities and get placed in executive branch roles. Starting in fiscal year 2022, agencies can directly hire fellowship graduates who meet OPM standards, within two years after the fellowship ends.
Federal teamwork on water and drought
The government creates an interagency committee on water management and infrastructure, co-chaired by Interior and EPA. It meets at least six times a year. The committee aligns actions to boost water storage, reliability, and drought resilience; improve water quality and systems, including drinking water, desalination, reuse, wastewater, and flood control; and strengthen data, modeling, and workforce. It must send Congress cross-agency research needs within one year.
New research and data to predict floods
NOAA supports research to produce consistent, long-term outlooks for extreme weather and other trends. NIST defines what “long-term” means for this work. NOAA partners with colleges to test new observations, especially drones, and keeps using them if they help. Programs evaluate innovative sensors and improve how water and coastal models work together. NOAA also inventories coastal freshwater flood data needs and reports on snow-data gaps within 180 days.
Required forecast coordinators for farms
The law now requires a forecast communication coordinator under the covered farm program section. This change from “may” to “shall” makes the coordinator mandatory. It helps covered farmers get timely weather and forecast information.
National rainfall frequency atlas updates
NOAA creates a national Precipitation Frequency Atlas for all states, D.C., territories, and the Freely Associated States. It reports heavy rain patterns, seasonality, and trends. NOAA posts estimates and methods online and updates them at least every 10 years, or more often if needed. Congress authorizes $3,500,000 per year for fiscal years 2022 through 2030 for this work.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS]
MS • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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