Welch and Britt Celebrate Senate’s Unanimous Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Boost Flood Resiliency and Hydrology Research

About About Peter Committee Assignments My Work (so far) Combating Trump’s Illegal Agenda Issues News Press Releases Press Kit Services Newsletter Sign-Up Help with a Federal Agency Academy Nominations Congressionally Directed Spending Requests Flag Requests Flooding Resources Internships Resources Resources for Immigrants Scheduling Requests Visiting DC Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference Contact Email Peter Press Release Welch and Britt Celebrate Senate’s Unanimous Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Boost Flood Resiliency and Hydrology Research Nov 12, 2026 Bill would make permanent the hydrology research center at UVM WASHINGTON , D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today celebrated the Senate’s unanimous passage of their bipartisan Water Research Optimization Act , legislation to streamline hydrological forecast modeling within the National Weather Service (NWS). The Senators’ legislation would place America’s 13 River Forecast Centers under the supervision and oversight of the Office of Water Protection and solidify existing hydrology work conducted through the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology (CIROH), the United States’ first-ever center for water forecast operations . Water-related disasters pose one of the most persistent and costly threats to communities across the United States. Flooding causes as much as $496 billion in losses each year, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen the nation’s resilience to these threats. Devastating flooding in Vermont in 2023 alone left $2.2 billion in damages. By integrating each of the centers’ forecasting operations under one hub, the Water Research Optimizati on Act promotes a unified approach to flood forecasting and mitigates information silos that impede severe weather warning capabilities. The Senators’ legislation advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with unanimous support in May 2025. It now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. “Investing in hydrology modeling and prediction is crucial to boosting flood resilience across the country, from Vermont to Alabama. That includes supporting important hydrology research and programs at the University of Vermont that improve hydrologic forecasting, such as the Cooperative Institute for Research to Operations in Hydrology,” said Senator Welch . “I’m grateful for the support of our Senate colleagues for advancing our bipartisan bill which will strengthen and align current hydrology research at the National Weather Service with vital research at UVM to foster flood resilience and help communities rebuild better after natural disasters. I urge my colleagues in the House to support this bill and send it to the president’s desk.” “The National Water Center at the University of Alabama is leading the nation in water forecasting, and the work being done in Tuscaloosa helps communities across America prepare for floods, droughts, and severe weather,” said Senator Britt . “I’m grateful to my colleagues for unanimously passing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation and to Senator Welch for his partnership. I urge the House to take up this bill without delay so we can get it signed into law.” “We are grateful to Senators Welch and Britt for their leadership in introducing pivotal legislation to support CIROH. Funding for these efforts allows the University of Vermont to continue vital research on water that impacts the quality of life of Vermonters and communities across the country. We are proud to be able to contribute to this work,” said Kirk Dombrowski , Vice President for Research and Economic Development , University of Vermont . CIROH has evolved into a revolutionary, collaborative hub between the public and private sector for research and development. The Water Research Optimization Act would make CIROH’s research center at the University of Vermont (UVM) permanent and align UVM’s hydrology work with the National Weather Service to boost flood resiliency research. CIROH’s national coalition of academic, industry, and non-profit partners includes the University of Vermont, which functions closely alongside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Water Center to support stakeholders with hydrological data and important weather-related forecasts and warnings. This legislation would place CIROH Centers under the supervision and oversight of the National Weather Service’s Office of Water Protection and codify the National Water Center’s authority to lead the transition of water resources research. Read and download the full text of the bill. ### ← Previous About Issues News Services Contact Resources for Immigrants