Graves Introduces Water Resources Bill with Big Wins for Missouri

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), Chairman of
the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the 2026 Water Resources Development Act, which addresses important water resources infrastructure needs in Missouri and across the country. The bipartisan bill will be marked up in the Transportation Committee on Wednesday. Since 2014, Congress has enacted a WRDA every two years to help improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation system, flood and storm risk management, environment, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure.
“WRDA 2026 helps build and maintain safe and reliable waterways,
flood protection, and other water infrastructure throughout the United
States. This bill streamlines Corps of Engineers’ processes, providing targeted and commonsense reforms to improve project delivery and empower local stakeholders,” said Committee Chairman Graves.
“For North Missouri in particular, WRDA 2026 advances a comprehensive flood control plan on the Missouri River, ensuring that people and property are the main priority when managing the river. It also expands the ways our levee owners can work with the Corps to build flood control projects and provides necessary, streamlined assistance to levee districts facing maintenance challenges. Additionally, WRDA 2026 ensures West Coast states aren’t diverting water out of the Missouri River, while reducing Corps bureaucracy in North Missouri and protecting Mississippi River levee districts from costly FEMA changes.
“I want to thank Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Collins, and Ranking Member Wilson for their work throughout this process, as well as the hundreds of Members of Congress who participated in the development of this bipartisan bill.”
Wins for North Missouri:
Streamlines the Corps of Engineers’ process so local partners can more easily make needed improvements to federal water projects.
Protects the Missouri River by ensuring it’s waters cannot be diverted out of the basin to Western states without the Governor’s approval.
Directs the Corps to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy
to slow the buildup of sediment in the largest reservoir system in the
country, the Missouri River Reservoir System, preserving the storage
capacity necessary to protect communities from flooding and support
navigation.
Implements a comprehensive flood protection plan on the Lower Missouri River that puts local levee districts and communities in the
drivers seat to move new flood control projects forward with help from
the Corps.
Ensures members of the Missouri River Recovery Implementation
Committee (MRRIC) elect their own chair, giving navigators, levee districts, communities, and other stakeholders a stronger voice in the committee.
Ensures Mississippi River communities and levee districts aren’t hit with devastating new bureaucratic requirements until the Corps comes up with a workable plan to protect communities from flooding.
Authorizes a nationwide review of the inland waterways to identify ways to modernize and strengthen them for the future.
Encourages the Corps to clearly communicate what land rights local
interests actually need to maintain flood protection projects.
Graves introduced the bill alongside Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), Water Resources
and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins (R-GA),
and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Ranking
Member Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL).