Huffman Advances Northern CA Projects in Critical Water Resources Legislation

Huffman Advances Northern CA Projects in Critical Water Resources Legislation September 16, 2026 Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Jared Huffman voted to pass the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026. This piece of bipartisan legislation authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' civil works program while advancing critical water infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience projects nationwide. "We’re in a tough time when it comes to water policy. President Trump has tried to roll back years of progress on sustainable water management, clawed back funding for critical water infrastructure projects, and tried at every opportunity to stoke water wars, especially in California. Meanwhile, water managers throughout the west are dealing with the fallout of the worsening climate crisis — record droughts, extreme floods, rising seas — while trying to maintain and modernize deteriorating infrastructure," said Rep. Huffman. "WRDA is one of Congress’ best tools for tackling these complex water challenges – and I’m happy to say that I was able to get big wins in this year's WRDA, including reversing a wrongheaded Trump edict against Army Corps staff communicating with members of Congress, and advancing important projects in my district to restore wetlands, boost water supplies, modernize our infrastructure, and increase flood and drought resiliency.” The 2026 WRDA legislation authorizes new water infrastructure projects and studies while modernizing the Army Corps through reforms that improve project delivery, expand nature-based solutions, strengthen environmental mitigation, and help communities better prepare for climate impacts. The bill successfully passed the House floor today with widespread bipartisan support. The legislation includes several priorities championed by Rep. Huffman, including: Restoring open and timely communication between U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Members of Congress, by reversing the Trump administration’s restrictions that impeded communication between the executive branch and Congress. Addressing deferred maintenance at small and local harbors by requiring the Army Corps to assess their facilities and identify opportunities for interested local governments to assume their operation and maintenance. The bill also advances several Northern California projects championed by Rep. Huffman, including : Petaluma River Marsh Restoration, Sea Level Rise Adaptation, and Beneficial Reuse Study: Accelerates a study to restore tidal wetlands using beneficially reused dredged sediment, improving habitat, reducing flood risk, and increasing resilience to sea level rise. Ellis Creek Wetlands Rehabilitation Feasibility Study: Expedites planning to restore degraded wetlands, strengthen natural flood protection, and safeguard critical wastewater infrastructure through nature-based solutions. Coyote Valley Dam Feasibility Study: Advances evaluation of improvements to increase flood protection while expanding water storage and strengthening long-term drought resilience. Sonoma County Water Agency Environmental Infrastructure Authority: Authorizes federal support for wastewater infrastructure upgrades that improve flood resilience, protect waterways, and modernize aging systems throughout Sonoma County. ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article