Title: FLOODS Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act or the FLOODS Act
This bill addresses forecasting and the communication of flood, tornado, and hurricane events by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Among other provisions, the bill

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4462

To establish a national integrated flood information system within the 
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 6, 2020

Mr. Wicker (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a national integrated flood information system within the 
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Flood Level 
Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act'' or the ``FLOODS 
Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
Sec. 3. National Integrated Flood Information System.
Sec. 4. Observations and modeling for total water prediction.
Sec. 5. Service coordination hydrologists at River Forecast Centers of 
                            the National Weather Service.
Sec. 6. Improving National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
                            communication of future flood risks and 
                            hazardous flash flood events.
Sec. 7. Freshwater monitoring along the coast.
Sec. 8. Tornado warning improvement.
Sec. 9. Hurricane forecast improvement program.
Sec. 10. Weather and water research and development planning.
Sec. 11. Forecast communication coordinators.
Sec. 12. Estimates of precipitation frequency in the United States.
Sec. 13. Interagency Coordinating Committee on Water Management.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands of the United 
        States, and any other territory or possession of the United 
        States.
            (2) Under secretary.--The term ``Under Secretary'' means 
        the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL INTEGRATED FLOOD INFORMATION SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--The Under Secretary shall establish a system, to 
be known as the ``National Integrated Flood Information System'', to 
better inform and provide for more timely decision making to reduce 
flood-related effects and costs.
    (b) System Functions.--The Under Secretary, through the National 
Integrated Flood Information System, shall--
            (1) provide an effective flood early warning system that--
                    (A) collects and integrates information on the key 
                indicators of floods and flood impacts, including 
                streamflow, reservoir release and diversion, 
                precipitation, soil moisture, snow water equivalent, 
                land cover, and evaporative demand;
                    (B) makes usable, reliable, and timely forecasts of 
                floods;
                    (C) assesses the severity of flood conditions and 
                effects;
                    (D) issues flood watches and warnings when 
                necessary;
                    (E) provides information described in subparagraph 
                (A), forecasts described in subparagraph (B), and 
                assessments described in subparagraph (C) at the 
                national, regional, and local levels, as appropriate; 
                and
                    (F) communicates flood forecasts, flood conditions, 
                and flood impacts to public and private entities 
                engaged in flood planning, preparedness, and response, 
                including--
                            (i) decision makers at the Federal, State, 
                        local, and Tribal levels of government;
                            (ii) the private sector; and
                            (iii) the public;
            (2) provide timely data, information, and products that 
        reflect differences in flood conditions among localities, 
        regions, watersheds, and States;
            (3) coordinate and integrate, through interagency 
        agreements as practicable, Federal research and monitoring in 
        support of the flood early warning information system provided 
        under paragraph (1);
            (4) use existing forecasting and assessment programs and 
        partnerships;
            (5) make improvements in seasonal precipitation and 
        temperature, subseasonal precipitation and temperature, and 
        flood water prediction; and
            (6) continue ongoing research and monitoring activities 
        relating to floods, including research activities relating to--
                    (A) the prediction, length, severity, and impacts 
                of floods and improvement of the accuracy, timing, and 
                specificity of flash flood warnings;
                    (B) the role of extreme weather events and climate 
                variability in floods; and
                    (C) how water travels over and through surfaces.
    (c) Partnerships.--The Under Secretary, through the National 
Integrated Flood Information System, may--
            (1) engage with the private sector to improve flood 
        monitoring, forecasts, land and topography data, and 
        communication, if the Under Secretary determines that such 
        engagement is appropriate, cost effective, and beneficial to 
        the public and decision makers described in subsection 
        (b)(1)(F)(i);
            (2) facilitate the development of 1 or more academic 
        cooperative partnerships to assist in carrying out the 
        functions of the National Integrated Flood Information System 
        described in subsection (b); and
            (3) use and support monitoring by citizen scientists, 
        including by developing best practices to facilitate maximum 
        data integration, as the Under Secretary considers appropriate.
    (d) Consultation.--In developing and maintaining the National 
Integrated Flood Information System, the Under Secretary shall consult 
with relevant Federal, State, local, and Tribal government agencies, 
research institutions, and the private sector.
    (e) Cooperation From Other Federal Agencies.--Each Federal agency 
shall cooperate as appropriate with the Under Secretary in carrying out 
this section.

SEC. 4. OBSERVATIONS AND MODELING FOR TOTAL WATER PREDICTION.

    (a) Partnerships.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary shall establish 
        partnerships with 1 or more institutions of higher education 
        (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1001)) to evaluate observations that would improve 
        total water prediction.
            (2) Priority observations.--In establishing partnerships 
        under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall prioritize 
        partnerships to evaluate observations from unmanned aerial 
        systems.
    (b) Maintained Observations.--If the Under Secretary determines 
that incorporating additional observations improves total water 
prediction, the Under Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, 
continue incorporating those observations.
    (c) Modeling Improvements.--The Under Secretary shall advance 
geographic coverage, resolution, skill, and efficiency of coastal 
oceanographic modeling, including efforts that improve the coupling of 
and interoperability between hydrological models and coastal ocean 
models.
    (d) Geospatial Data.--The Under Secretary shall advance the 
development of models to vertically transform geospatial data into a 
common system for use as the Federal standard for surveys and mapping.

SEC. 5. SERVICE COORDINATION HYDROLOGISTS AT RIVER FORECAST CENTERS OF 
              THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

    (a) Designation of Service Coordination Hydrologists.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Weather 
        Service (in this section referred to as the ``Director'') shall 
        designate at least 1 service coordination hydrologist at each 
        River Forecast Center of the National Weather Service.
            (2) Performance by other employees.--Performance of the 
        responsibilities outlined in this section is not limited to the 
        service coordination hydrologist position.
    (b) Primary Role of Service Coordination Hydrologists.--The primary 
role of the service coordination hydrologist shall be to carry out the 
responsibilities required by this section.
    (c) Responsibilities.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), consistent with 
        the analysis described in section 409 of the Weather Research 
        and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-25; 131 
        Stat. 112), and in order to increase impact-based decision 
        support services, each service coordination hydrologist 
        designated under subsection (a) shall, with respect to 
        hydrology--
                    (A) be responsible for providing service to the 
                geographic area of responsibility covered by the River 
                Forecast Center at which the service coordination 
                hydrologist is employed to help ensure that users of 
                products and services of the National Weather Service 
                can respond effectively to improve outcomes from flood 
                events;
                    (B) liaise with users of products and services of 
                the National Weather Service, such as the public, 
                academia, media outlets, users in the hydropower, 
                transportation, recreation, and agricultural 
                communities, and forestry, land, fisheries, and water 
                management interests, to evaluate the adequacy and 
                usefulness of the products and services of the National 
                Weather Service;
                    (C) collaborate with such River Forecast Centers 
                and Weather Forecast Offices and Federal, State, local, 
                and Tribal government agencies as the Director 
                considers appropriate in developing, proposing, and 
                implementing plans to develop, modify, or tailor 
                products and services of the National Weather Service 
                to improve the usefulness of such products and 
                services;
                    (D) engage in interagency partnerships with 
                Federal, State, local, and Tribal government agencies 
                to explore the use of forecast-informed reservoir 
                operations to reduce flood risk;
                    (E) ensure the maintenance and accuracy of flooding 
                call lists, appropriate office flooding policy or 
                procedures, and other flooding information or 
                dissemination methodologies or strategies; and
                    (F) work closely with Federal, State, local, and 
                Tribal emergency management agencies, and other 
                agencies relating to disaster management, to ensure a 
                planned, coordinated, and effective preparedness and 
                response effort.
            (2) Other staff.--The Director may assign a responsibility 
        set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director 
        considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility.
    (d) Additional Responsibilities.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a service 
        coordination hydrologist designated under subsection (a) may, 
        with respect to hydrology--
                    (A) work with a State agency to develop plans for 
                promoting more effective use of products and services 
                of the National Weather Service throughout the State;
                    (B) identify priority community preparedness 
                objectives;
                    (C) develop plans to meet the objectives identified 
                under subparagraph (B); and
                    (D) conduct flooding event preparedness planning 
                and citizen education efforts with and through various 
                State, local, and Tribal government agencies and other 
                disaster management-related organizations.
            (2) Other staff.--The Director may assign a responsibility 
        set forth in paragraph (1) to such other staff as the Director 
        considers appropriate to carry out such responsibility.
    (e) Placement With State and Local Emergency Managers.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the Director 
        may place a service coordination hydrologist designated under 
        subsection (a) with a State or local emergency manager, if the 
        Director determines that such placement is necessary or 
        convenient to carry out this section.
            (2) Treatment.--If the Director determines that the 
        placement of a service coordination hydrologist with a State or 
        local emergency manager under paragraph (1) is near a River 
        Forecast Center of the National Weather Service, such placement 
        shall be treated as designation of the service coordination 
        hydrologist at such River Forecast Center for purposes of 
        subsection (a).

SEC. 6. IMPROVING NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 
              COMMUNICATION OF FUTURE FLOOD RISKS AND HAZARDOUS FLASH 
              FLOOD EVENTS.

    (a) Assessment of Flash Flood Watches and Warnings.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall--
                    (A) conduct an assessment of--
                            (i) the flash flood watches and warnings of 
                        the National Weather Service; and
                            (ii) the information delivery to support 
                        preparation and responses to floods; and
                    (B) submit to Congress a report on the findings of 
                the Under Secretary with respect to the assessment 
                required by subparagraph (A).
            (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1)(A) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) An evaluation of whether the watches, warnings, 
                and information described in paragraph (1)(A)--
                            (i) communicate risk to the general public;
                            (ii) inform action to prevent loss of life 
                        and property;
                            (iii) inform action to support flood 
                        preparation and response; and
                            (iv) deliver information in a manner 
                        designed to lead to appropriate action.
                    (B) Subject to subsection (b)(2), such 
                recommendations as the Under Secretary may have for--
                            (i) legislative and administrative action 
                        to improve the watches and warnings described 
                        in paragraph (1)(A)(i); and
                            (ii) such research as the Under Secretary 
                        considers necessary to address the focus areas 
                        described in paragraph (3).
            (3) Focus areas.--The assessment required by paragraph 
        (1)(A) shall focus on the following areas:
                    (A) Ways to communicate the risks posed by 
                hazardous flash flood events to the public that are 
                most likely to result in informed decision making 
                regarding the mitigation of those risks.
                    (B) Ways to provide actionable geographic 
                information to the recipient of a watch or warning for 
                a flash flood, including partnering with emergency 
                response agencies, as appropriate.
                    (C) Evaluation of information delivery to support 
                the preparation for and response to floods.
            (4) Consultation.--In conducting the assessment required by 
        paragraph (1)(A), the Under Secretary shall consult with--
                    (A) such line offices of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration as the Under Secretary 
                considers relevant, including--
                            (i) the National Ocean Service;
                            (ii) the National Weather Service; and
                            (iii) the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                        Research;
                    (B) individuals in the academic sector, including 
                individuals in the field of social and behavioral 
                sciences;
                    (C) other weather services;
                    (D) media outlets and other entities that 
                distribute the watches and warnings described in 
                paragraph (1)(A)(i);
                    (E) emergency planners and responders, including 
                State, local, and Tribal emergency management agencies;
                    (F) other government users of the watches and 
                warnings described in paragraph (1)(A)(i), including 
                the Federal Highway Administration; and
                    (G) such other Federal agencies as the Under 
                Secretary determines rely on watches and warnings 
                regarding flash floods for operational decisions.
            (5) National academy of sciences.--The Under Secretary 
        shall engage with the National Academy of Sciences, as the 
        Under Secretary considers necessary and practicable, including 
        by contracting with the National Research Council to review the 
        scientific and technical soundness of the assessment required 
        by paragraph (1)(A), including the recommendations under 
        paragraph (2)(B).
            (6) Methodologies.--In conducting the assessment required 
        by paragraph (1)(A), the Under Secretary shall use such 
        methodologies as the Under Secretary considers are generally 
        accepted by the weather enterprise, including social and 
        behavioral sciences.
    (b) Improvements to Flash Flood Watches and Warnings.--
            (1) In general.--Based on the assessment required by 
        subsection (a)(1)(A), the Under Secretary shall make such 
        improvements to the watches and warnings described in that 
        subsection as the Under Secretary considers necessary--
                    (A) to improve the communication of the risks posed 
                by hazardous flash flood events; and
                    (B) to provide actionable geographic information to 
                the recipient of a watch or warning for a flash flood.
            (2) Requirements regarding recommendations.--In conducting 
        the assessment required by subsection (a)(1)(A), the Under 
        Secretary shall ensure that any recommendation under subsection 
        (a)(2)(B) that the Under Secretary considers a major change--
                    (A) is validated by social and behavioral science 
                using a generalizable sample;
                    (B) accounts for the needs of various demographics, 
                vulnerable populations, and geographic regions;
                    (C) responds to the needs of Federal, State, local, 
                and Tribal government partners and media partners; and
                    (D) accounts for necessary changes to federally 
                operated watch and warning propagation and 
                dissemination infrastructure and protocols.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Watch; warning.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the terms ``watch'' and ``warning'', with respect 
                to a hazardous flash flood event, mean products issued 
                by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
                intended for use by the general public--
                            (i) to alert the general public to the 
                        potential for or presence of the event; and
                            (ii) to inform action to prevent loss of 
                        life and property.
                    (B) Exclusion.--The terms ``watch'' and ``warning'' 
                do not include technical or specialized meteorological 
                and hydrological forecasts, outlooks, or model guidance 
                products.
            (2) Weather enterprise.--The term ``weather enterprise'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 2 of the Weather 
        Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 
        8501).

SEC. 7. FRESHWATER MONITORING ALONG THE COAST.

    (a) Data Availability Assessment.--The Under Secretary shall assess 
the availability of short- and long-term data on large-scale freshwater 
flooding into oceans, bays, and estuaries, including data on--
            (1) flow rate, including discharge;
            (2) conductivity;
            (3) oxygen concentration;
            (4) nutrient load;
            (5) water temperature; and
            (6) sediment load.
    (b) Data Needs Assessment.--The Under Secretary shall assess the 
need for additional data to assess and predict the effect of the 
flooding and freshwater discharge described in subsection (a).
    (c) Inventory of Data Needs.--Based on the assessments required by 
subsections (a) and (b), the Under Secretary shall create an inventory 
of data needs with respect to the flooding and freshwater discharge 
described in subsections (a) and (b).
    (d) Planning.--In planning for the collection of additional data 
necessary for ecosystem-based modeling of the effect of the flooding 
and freshwater discharge described in subsections (a) and (b), the 
Under Secretary shall use the inventory created under subsection (c).

SEC. 8. TORNADO WARNING IMPROVEMENT.

    Section 103 of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act 
of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8513) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
    ``(c) Innovative Observations.--The Under Secretary shall ensure 
that the program periodically examines the value of incorporating 
innovative observations, such as acoustic or infrasonic measurements, 
observations from phased array radars, and observations from mesonets, 
with respect to the improvement of tornado forecasts, predictions, and 
warnings.''.

SEC. 9. HURRICANE FORECAST IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 104(b) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8514(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) evaluating and incorporating, as appropriate, 
        innovative observations, including acoustic or infrasonic 
        measurements.''.

SEC. 10. WEATHER AND WATER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.

    Section 105(2) of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation 
Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. 8515(2)) is amended by inserting ``and flood-
event'' after ``operational weather''.

SEC. 11. FORECAST COMMUNICATION COORDINATORS.

    Section 1762(f)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (15 U.S.C. 
8521(f)(1)) is amended, in the second sentence, by striking ``may'' and 
inserting ``shall''.

SEC. 12. ESTIMATES OF PRECIPITATION FREQUENCY IN THE UNITED STATES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Freely associated states.--The term ``Freely Associated 
        States'' means the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the 
        Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, which 
        have each entered into a Compact of Free Association with the 
        United States.
            (2) United states.--The term ``United States'' means the 50 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
        Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and the Freely Associated States.
    (b) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall establish a program, to be known as 
the ``NOAA Precipitation Frequency Atlas of the United States'', to 
estimate and communicate the frequency of precipitation in the United 
States.
    (c) Functions.--The NOAA Precipitation Frequency Atlas of the 
United States--
            (1) shall better inform the public and provide information 
        on--
                    (A) temporal and spatial distribution of heavy 
                precipitation;
                    (B) analyses of seasonality in precipitation; and
                    (C) trends in annual maximum series data; and
            (2) may serve as the official source of the Federal 
        Government on estimates of precipitation frequency and 
        associated information with respect to the United States.
    (d) Requirements.--
            (1) Coverage.--The NOAA Precipitation Frequency Atlas of 
        the United States shall include such estimates of the frequency 
        of precipitation in the United States as the Administrator 
        determines appropriate.
            (2) Frequency.--Such estimates--
                    (A) shall be conducted not less frequently than 
                once every 10 years; and
                    (B) may be conducted more frequently if determined 
                appropriate by the Administrator.
            (3) Publication.--Such estimates and methodologies used to 
        conduct such estimates shall be--
                    (A) subject to an appropriate, scientific process, 
                as determined by the Administrator; and
                    (B) published on a publicly accessible website of 
                the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    (e) Partnerships.--The Administrator may partner with other Federal 
agencies, members of the private sector, academic cooperative 
partnerships, or nongovernment associations to assist in carrying out 
the functions described in subsection (c).
    (f) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the Administrator 
may consult with relevant Federal, State, local, Tribal, and 
Territorial government agencies, research institutions, and the private 
sector, as the Administrator determines necessary.
    (g) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Administrator 
may coordinate with other Federal agencies.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, from amounts otherwise 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this 
Act, $3,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2030.

SEC. 13. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON WATER MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a committee, to be known 
as the ``Interagency Coordinating Committee on Water Management'' (in 
this section referred to as the ``Committee'').
    (b) Membership.--The Committee shall be composed of the following 
members:
            (1) The Under Secretary.
            (2) The Assistant Secretary for Water and Science of the 
        Department of the Interior.
            (3) The head of each of the following:
                    (A) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
                    (B) The Army Corps of Engineers.
                    (C) The National Science Foundation.
                    (D) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
                    (E) The Council on Environmental Quality.
                    (F) The Department of Energy.
                    (G) The Department of Agriculture.
                    (H) Any other Federal agency, as the co-chairs 
                consider appropriate.
    (c) Co-Chairs.--The Committee shall be co-chaired by the Secretary 
of the Interior and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency.
    (d) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet not less frequently than 
once each year at the call of the co-chairs.
    (e) General Purpose and Duties.--The Committee shall ensure that 
agencies across the Federal Government that engage in water-related 
matters, including water storage and supplies, water quality and 
restoration activities, water infrastructure, transportation on United 
States rivers and inland waterways, and water forecasting, work 
together where such agencies have joint or overlapping responsibilities 
to--
            (1) improve interagency coordination by Federal agencies on 
        water resource management and water-related infrastructure 
        issues;
            (2) coordinate and consolidate existing water-related 
        Federal task forces, working groups, and other formal cross-
        agency initiatives, as appropriate;
            (3) designate and consolidate repositories responsible for 
        archiving and managing water-related matters;
            (4) improve interagency coordination of data management, 
        access, modeling, and visualization with respect to water-
        related matters;
            (5) conduct integrated planning for Federal investments in 
        water-related infrastructure; and
            (6) support workforce development and efforts to recruit, 
        train, and retain professionals to operate and maintain 
        essential water facilities in the United States.
    (f) Cross-Agency Priority Research Needs.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Committee shall 
develop and submit to Congress a list of research needs that includes 
needs for cross-agency research and coordination.
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