AGRI–FLOOD Resilience and Infrastructure Act

What it does

• •Establishes a Floodplains and Watershed Resilience Program under the Secretary of Agriculture that provides financial and technical assistance to restore floodplains, rehabilitate aging flood infrastructure, decommission unsafe dams, and implement nature-based flood solutions on eligible land.
• •Requires the Secretary to develop 20-year maintenance plans, deploy real-time flood monitoring systems, create a national database of program data, conduct a national flood risk assessment within 360 days, and produce publicly accessible flood risk maps.
• •Amends the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to require completion timelines (1 year standard, 30 days for emergencies) and allows expanded restoration beyond minimum flood threat reduction if it enhances long-term watershed health.
• •Mandates transparency through annual public guidance on program funding, eligibility, and application procedures, requires documentation of project decisions, and establishes expedited review for flood-impacted communities.

Why it matters

• •Addresses aging infrastructure and increasing flood risks by combining traditional infrastructure repair with nature-based solutions like wetland restoration and riparian buffers to reduce flood damage and improve ecological health.
• •Prioritizes underserved and vulnerable communities by requiring assessments of community vulnerability and giving priority to high-risk areas identified in a national flood risk assessment.
• •Establishes systematic oversight and accountability through centralized national databases, performance metrics, post-project assessments, and documented decision-making to improve flood resilience programs.

Who is affected

• •Project sponsors (states, tribal governments, local governments, special districts) that apply for and carry out restoration, infrastructure rehabilitation, or dam decommissioning projects on floodplains and watersheds.
• •Flood-vulnerable communities, particularly underserved populations, repetitive loss properties, and areas with limited evacuation capacity that may receive priority assistance.
• •Federal and state agencies involved in watershed and flood management, including the Secretary of Agriculture, FEMA, and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices.

What happens next

The bill has been introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Agriculture; it must proceed through committee review, floor consideration, Senate passage, and presidential signature to become law.