H. R. 3080—111 
of Representatives a study of the strategies used by the Corps 
of Engineers for the comprehensive management of water resources 
in response to floods, storms, and droughts, including an historical 
review of the ability of the Corps of Engineers to manage and 
respond to historical drought, storm, and flood events. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—The study under subsection (a) shall 
address— 
(1) the extent to which existing water management activi-
ties of the Corps of Engineers can better meet the goal of 
addressing future flooding, drought, and storm damage risks, 
which shall include analysis of all historical extreme weather 
events that have been recorded during the previous 5 centuries 
as well as in the geological record; 
(2) whether existing water resources projects built or main-
tained by the Corps of Engineers, including dams, levees, 
floodwalls, flood gates, and other appurtenant infrastructure 
were designed to adequately address flood, storm, and drought 
impacts and the extent to which the water resources projects 
have been successful at addressing those impacts; 
(3) any recommendations for approaches for repairing, 
rebuilding, or restoring infrastructure, land, and natural 
resources that consider the risks and vulnerabilities associated 
with past and future extreme weather events; 
(4) whether a reevaluation of existing management 
approaches of the Corps of Engineers could result in greater 
efficiencies in water management and project delivery that 
would enable the Corps of Engineers to better prepare for, 
contain, and respond to flood, storm, and drought conditions; 
(5) any recommendations for improving the planning proc-
esses of the Corps of Engineers to provide opportunities for 
comprehensive management of water resources that increases 
efficiency and improves response to flood, storm, and drought 
conditions; 
(6) any recommendations on the use of resilient construc-
tion techniques to reduce future vulnerability from flood, storm, 
and drought conditions; and 
(7) any recommendations for improving approaches to 
rebuilding or restoring infrastructure and natural resources 
that contribute to risk reduction, such as coastal wetlands, 
to prepare for flood and drought. 
SEC. 3025. POST-DISASTER WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In an area that the President has 
declared a major disaster in accordance with section 401 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), the Secretary may carry out a 
watershed assessment to identify, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, specific flood risk reduction, hurricane and storm dam-
age reduction, ecosystem restoration, or navigation project rec-
ommendations that will help to rehabilitate and improve the 
resiliency of damaged infrastructure and natural resources to 
reduce risks to human life and property from future natural 
disasters. 
(2) EXISTING PROJECTS.—A watershed assessment carried 
out paragraph (1) may identify existing projects being carried
H. R. 3080—112 
out under 1 or more of the authorities referred to in subsection 
(b)(1). 
(3) DUPLICATE WATERSHED ASSESSMENTS.—In carrying out 
a watershed assessment under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall use all existing watershed assessments and related 
information developed by the Secretary or other Federal, State, 
or local entities. 
(b) PROJECTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may carry out projects 
identified under a watershed assessment under subsection (a) 
in accordance with the criteria for projects carried out under 
one of the following authorities: 
(A) Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of 1948 (33 
U.S.C. 701s). 
(B) Section 111 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968 
(33 U.S.C. 426i). 
(C) Section 206 of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1996 (33 U.S.C. 2330). 
(D) Section 1135 of the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2309a). 
(E) Section 107 of the River and Harbor Act of 1960 
(33 U.S.C. 577). 
(F) Section 3 of the Act of August 13, 1946 (33 U.S.C. 
426g). 
(2) ANNUAL PLAN.—For each project that does not meet 
the criteria under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall include 
a recommendation relating to the project in the annual report 
submitted to Congress by the Secretary in accordance with 
section 7001. 
(3) EXISTING PROJECTS.—In carrying out a project under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, use all existing 
information and studies available for the project; and 
(B) not require any element of a study completed for 
the project prior to the disaster to be repeated. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—All requirements applicable to a project 
under the Acts described in subsection (b) shall apply to the project. 
(d) LIMITATIONS ON ASSESSMENTS.—A watershed assessment 
under subsection (a) shall be initiated not later than 2 years after 
the date on which the major disaster declaration is issued. 
SEC. 3026. HURRICANE AND STORM DAMAGE REDUCTION STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—As part of the study for flood and storm 
damage reduction related to natural disasters to be carried out 
by the Secretary under title II of division A of the Disaster Relief 
Appropriations Act, 2013, under the heading ‘‘Department of the 
Army—Corps of Engineers—Civil—Investigations’’ (127 Stat. 5), the 
Secretary shall make specific project recommendations. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In making recommendations pursuant to 
this section, the Secretary may consult with key stakeholders, 
including State, county, and city governments, and, as applicable, 
State and local water districts, and in the case of recommendations 
concerning projects that substantially affect communities served 
by historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and 
Universities, and other minority-serving institutions, the Secretary 
shall consult with those colleges, universities, and institutions.
H. R. 3080—113 
(c) REPORT.—The Secretary shall include any recommendations 
of the Secretary under this section in the annual report submitted 
to Congress by the Secretary in accordance with section 7001. 
SEC. 3027. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION OF RISK. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AFFECTED GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘‘affected govern-
ment’’ means a State, local, or tribal government with jurisdic-
tion over an area that will be affected by a flood. 
(2) ANNUAL OPERATING PLAN.—The term ‘‘annual operating 
plan’’ means a plan prepared by the Secretary that describes 
potential water condition scenarios for a river basin for a year. 
(b) COMMUNICATION.—In any river basin where the Secretary 
carries out flood risk management activities subject to an annual 
operating plan, the Secretary shall establish procedures for pro-
viding the public and affected governments, including Indian tribes, 
in the river basin with— 
(1) timely information regarding expected water levels; 
(2) advice regarding appropriate preparedness actions; 
(3) technical assistance; and 
(4) any other information or assistance determined appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.—To the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary, in coordination with the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall make 
the information required under subsection (b) available to the public 
through widely used and readily available means, including on 
the Internet. 
(d) PROCEDURES.—The Secretary shall use the procedures estab-
lished under subsection (b) only when precipitation or runoff exceeds 
those calculations considered as the lowest risk to life and property 
contemplated by the annual operating plan. 
SEC. 3028. SAFETY ASSURANCE REVIEW. 
Section 2035 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 
(33 U.S.C. 2344) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) NONAPPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to a safety assurance 
review conducted under this section.’’. 
SEC. 3029. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO NATURAL DISASTERS. 
(a) EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TO NATURAL DISASTERS.—Section 
5(a)(1) of the Act of August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n(a)(1)), is 
amended in the first sentence— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘and subject to the condition that the 
Chief of Engineers may include modifications to the structure 
or project’’ after ‘‘work for flood control’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘structure damaged or destroyed by wind, 
wave, or water action of other than an ordinary nature when 
in the discretion of the Chief of Engineers such repair and 
restoration is warranted for the adequate functioning of the 
structure for hurricane or shore protection’’ and inserting 
‘‘structure or project damaged or destroyed by wind, wave, 
or water action of other than an ordinary nature to the design 
level of protection when, in the discretion of the Chief of Engi-
neers, such repair and restoration is warranted for the adequate 
functioning of the structure or project for hurricane or shore 
protection, subject to the condition that the Chief of Engineers
H. R. 3080—114 
may include modifications to the structure or project to address 
major deficiencies or implement nonstructural alternatives to 
the repair or restoration of the structure if requested by the 
non-Federal sponsor’’. 
(b) REVIEW OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AUTHORITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall undertake a review 
of implementation of section 5 of the Act of August 18, 1941 
(33 U.S.C. 701n), to evaluate the alternatives available to the 
Secretary to ensure— 
(A) the safety of affected communities to future flooding 
and storm events; 
(B) the resiliency of water resources development 
projects to future flooding and storm events; 
(C) the long-term cost-effectiveness of water resources 
development projects that provide flood control and hurri-
cane and storm damage reduction benefits; and 
(D) the policy goals and objectives that have been 
outlined by the President as a response to recent extreme 
weather events, including Hurricane Sandy, that relate 
to preparing for future floods are met. 
(2) SCOPE
OF
REVIEW.—In carrying out the review, the 
Secretary shall— 
(A) review the historical precedents and implementa-
tion of section 5 of that Act, including those actions under-
taken by the Secretary, over time, under that section— 
(i) to repair or restore a project; and 
(ii) to increase the level of protection for a damaged 
project to address future conditions; 
(B) evaluate the difference between adopting, as an 
appropriate standard under section 5 of that Act, the repair 
or restoration of a project to pre-flood or pre-storm levels 
and the repair or restoration of a project to a design level 
of protection, including an assessment for each standard 
of— 
(i) the implications on populations at risk of 
flooding or damage; 
(ii) the implications on probability of loss of life; 
(iii) the implications on property values at risk 
of flooding or damage; 
(iv) the implications on probability of increased 
property damage and associated costs; 
(v) the implications on local and regional econo-
mies; and 
(vi) the estimated total cost and estimated cost 
savings; 
(C) review and evaluate the historic and potential uses, 
and economic feasibility for the life of the project, of non-
structural alternatives, including natural features such as 
dunes, 
coastal 
wetlands, 
floodplains, 
marshes, 
and 
mangroves, to reduce the damage caused by floods, storm 
surges, winds, and other aspects of extreme weather events, 
and to increase the resiliency and long-term cost-effective-
ness of water resources development projects; 
(D) incorporate the science on expected rates of sea- 
level rise and extreme weather events;