What does Preamble of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This bill is formally titled 'To amend the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to improve that Act, and for other purposes.'

What does SHORT TITLE. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This bill is formally titled the Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026

What does SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS; DECLARATION OF POLICY. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the first section of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act may be cited as the `Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act`. Congress finds that erosion, floodwater, drought, and sediment damages negatively impact the national welfare. It is the sense of Congress that the Federal Government should cooperate with various entities to prevent damages and further conservation efforts. These cooperative efforts aim to preserve, protect, and improve land and water resources and the quality of the environment.

What does DEFINITIONS. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to define key terms. Definitions include irrigation efficiency, local organization, and multibenefit work of improvement. A multibenefit work of improvement provides 2 or more public benefits, such as water conservation and improved fish habitat. The term 'work of improvement' refers to undertakings carried out in a watershed or subwatershed area for flood prevention, water conservation, or land utilization. Each undertaking must contain benefits directly related to agriculture or conservation, accounting for at least 20 percent of the total benefits.

What does ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 3 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003). The Secretary is authorized to enter into agreements with landowners, operators, and occupiers. Applications for work of improvement must be supplemented. The Secretary may agree to share the costs of carrying out a work of improvement or specific practices. The Secretary shall delegate final decisionmaking authority to the State Conservationist for watershed plan release. The Secretary must approve or disapprove applications for a work of improvement within 45 days, with a possible 45-day extension. The Secretary may approve plans for multibenefit work of improvement regardless of the cost-benefit ratio. The Secretary may approve funding for construction materials for pipes if they are fully recyclable, maintain structural integrity for at least 100 years, and can be manufactured on-site, with exceptions possible.

What does NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 4 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. Federal funds exceeding $50,000,000 or structures with over 2,500 acre-feet of capacity require Secretary approval before being provided. The Secretary must notify the Senate and House Agriculture Committees 60 days prior to approving plans, unless it's a flood prevention project. Flood prevention projects under 4,000 acre-feet trigger notification to the Agriculture Committees. Flood prevention projects exceeding 4,000 acre-feet trigger notification to the Environment and Public Works and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees. For watershed or subwatershed areas, plans exceeding $50,000,000 or 2,500 acre-feet require notification to either the Agriculture or Environment and Public Works/Transportation committees, depending on the structure's capacity.

What does MULTIBENEFIT WORK OF IMPROVEMENT ALLOCATION. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 5 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act The Secretary must allocate at least 50 percent of funds for multibenefit works of improvement Funding allocation applies to each fiscal year

What does REPEALS; REDESIGNATIONS. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section repeals sections 9 and 11 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act is amended to redesignate several sections, renumbering them sequentially. Section 515(b)(8)(B) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 is amended to reference section 9 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. Sections 1211(a)(3)(D) and 1221(b)(3)(D) of the Food Security Act of 1985 are amended to include references to section 12 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. Section 1271A(1)(F) of the Food Security Act of 1985 is amended to replace a reference to section 14 with a reference to section 15 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. Section 10 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act is amended to replace a reference to sections 3 or 8 with a reference to section 12.

What does COST SHARE ASSISTANCE. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends Section 6 of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. The amendment inserts 'as determined by the Secretary' after 'assistance' in subsection (a). It adds a new subsection (c) to Section 6. Subsection (c) states that funds from other federal departments or agencies (excluding the Department of Agriculture) will be considered part of the non-Federal share of the cost of a work of improvement.

What does CONDITIONS FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. of Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026 do?

This section amends the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to establish conditions for receiving federal assistance for works of improvement. Local organizations must acquire necessary land, easements, and water rights without federal cost (except as specified in subsection (b)). They must also make arrangements for operating and maintaining works of improvement and obtain agreements for soil conservation measures. The Secretary may participate in recreational development within watershed projects, with limitations based on project size and demonstrated need. The Secretary may advance funds for land acquisition to prevent encroachment, with repayment required before construction. The cost of water storage to meet future demands cannot exceed 30% of the reservoir's total cost. Local organizations must provide assurances that future water demands will allow repayment within the reservoir's lifespan. State water law, federal water law, interstate compacts, and treaty obligations are not superseded by this Act.

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Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act of 2026

Last updated: 3/26/2026 · Introduced: 3/26/2026

Author: Michael Bennet (D-CO)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill mandates that at least 50 percent of federal funds allocated for watershed projects each fiscal year must be directed towards projects that provide multiple public benefits, such as water conservation and improved fish habitat.
The bill increases the maximum loan amount available under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act from $5 million to $10 million.
Federal agencies must notify Congress before providing funds exceeding $50 million or constructing structures with over 2,500 acre-feet of capacity, with different committees receiving notification depending on the project type and size.
The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to approve funding for construction materials, including fully recyclable pipes manufactured on-site, provided they meet specific structural integrity standards.
The bill expands the types of data the Department of Agriculture must collect and publish, including activities related to drought resilience and a broader range of conservation expenditures.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

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Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 11 more.

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