Congressional committees have begun gathering input to develop the next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2026), continuing a long-standing bipartisan process. Congress has enacted a WRDA every two years since 2014, and the most recent bill (WRDA 2024) was signed into law in January 2025.
WRDA legislation authorizes civil works projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including port and harbor improvements, inland waterways, flood risk management, storm protection, ecosystem restoration, and other water resources infrastructure.
Projects included in WRDA originate at the local level and require a non-federal sponsor (i.e. counties, flood control districts, water agencies, port authorities, etc). Most projects must first receive authorization to conduct a feasibility study, followed by a separate congressional authorization to construct, operate, or maintain the project. Favorable feasibility studies are transmitted to Congress through a Chief’s Report, which can then be considered for inclusion in a future WRDA. Project costs are typically shared between the Corps and the local sponsor
In addition to project authorizations, WRDA bills are a key vehicle for programmatic and policy reforms aimed at streamlining Corps processes, reducing costs, and accelerating project delivery.
Congressional offices are currently able to submit priorities for WRDA 2026 through a formal member portal. Special districts with Corps-related priorities may want to coordinate with their congressional delegations as this process moves forward.
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