[117th Congress Public Law 316] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [[Page 4405]] FLOOD LEVEL OBSERVATION, OPERATIONS, AND DECISION SUPPORT ACT [[Page 136 STAT. 4406]] Public Law 117-316 117th Congress An Act To establish a national integrated flood information system within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 27, 2022 - [S. 558]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act.>> SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. (a) <<NOTE: 15 USC 9701 note.>> 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 Committee on Water Management and Infrastructure. Sec. 14. National Weather Service hydrologic research fellowship program. Sec. 15. Identification and support of consistent, Federal set of forward-looking, long-term meteorological information. Sec. 16. Gap analysis on availability of snow-related data to assess and predict flood and flood impacts. Sec. 17. Availability to the public of flood-related data. SEC. <<NOTE: 15 USC 9701.>> 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2) 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. SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 15 USC 9702.>> NATIONAL INTEGRATED FLOOD INFORMATION SYSTEM. (a) <<NOTE: Establishment.>> In General.--The Administrator shall establish a system, to be known as the ``National Integrated Flood Information System'', [[Page 136 STAT. 4407]] to better inform and provide for more timely decision making to reduce flood-related effects and costs. (b) System Functions.--The Administrator, 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) <<NOTE: Assessment.>> assesses the severity of flood conditions and effects; (D) 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 (E) communicates flood forecasts, flood conditions, and flood impacts to appropriate entities engaged in flood planning, preparedness, and response and post- event flood extent, including-- (i) decision makers at the Federal, State, local, and Tribal levels of government; and (ii) the public; (2) <<NOTE: Data.>> provide timely data, information, and products that reflect differences in flood conditions among localities, regions, watersheds, and States; (3) <<NOTE: Coordination.>> 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 Administrator, through the National Integrated Flood Information System, may-- (1) <<NOTE: Determination.>> engage with the private sector to improve flood monitoring, forecasts, land and topography data, and communication, if the Administrator determines that such engagement is appropriate, cost effective, and beneficial to the public and decision makers described in subsection (b)(1)(E)(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); [[Page 136 STAT. 4408]] (3) use and support monitoring by citizen scientists, including by developing best practices to facilitate maximum data integration, as the Administrator considers appropriate; (4) engage with, and leverage the resources of, entities within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act, such as the National Weather Service with respect to forecast and warning functions, the National Integrated Drought Information System, the Regional Climate Center, and the National Mesonet Program, to improve coordination of water monitoring, forecasting, and management; and (5) engage with and support water monitoring by the United States Geological Survey-- (A) to improve the availability and continuity of streamflow data at critical locations through the deployment of rapid deployment gages and the flood- hardening of at-risk streamflow gauges; and (B) to increase storm surge monitoring data through the deployment of additional storm surge sensors. (d) Consultation.--In developing and maintaining the National Integrated Flood Information System, the Administrator 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 Administrator in carrying out this section. SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 15 USC 9703.>> OBSERVATIONS AND MODELING FOR TOTAL WATER PREDICTION. (a) <<NOTE: Evaluations.>> Partnerships.-- (1) In general.--The Administrator 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 Administrator shall prioritize partnerships to evaluate observations from uncrewed aerial systems. (b) Maintained Observations.--If the Administrator determines that incorporating additional observations improves total water prediction, the Administrator shall, to the extent practicable, continue incorporating those observations. (c) Modeling Improvements.--The Administrator 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. SEC. 5. <<NOTE: 15 USC 9704.>> 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. [[Page 136 STAT. 4409]] (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 and floodplain 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 [[Page 136 STAT. 4410]] (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. SEC. 6. <<NOTE: 15 USC 9705.>> 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 Administrator 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) <<NOTE: Reports.>> submit to Congress a report on the findings of the Administrator with respect to the assessment required by subparagraph (A). (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1)(A) shall include the following: (A) <<NOTE: Evaluations.>> An evaluation of whether the watches, warnings, and information described in paragraph (1)(A) effectively-- (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) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>> Subject to subsection (b)(2), such recommendations as the Administrator 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 Administrator 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) <<NOTE: Evaluation.>> 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 Administrator shall consult with-- (A) individuals in the academic sector, including individuals in the field of social and behavioral sciences; [[Page 136 STAT. 4411]] (B) other weather services; (C) media outlets and other entities that distribute the watches and warnings described in paragraph (1)(A)(i); (D) floodplain managers and emergency planners and responders, including State, local, and Tribal emergency management agencies; (E) other government users of the watches and warnings described in paragraph (1)(A)(i), including the Federal Highway Administration; and (F) such other Federal agencies as the Administrator determines rely on watches and warnings regarding flash floods for operational decisions. (5) <<NOTE: Contracts. Review.>> National academy of sciences.--The Administrator shall engage with the National Academy of Sciences, as the Administrator considers necessary and practicable, including by contracti [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]