Saving Rural Reservoirs Act
Adds eligible high-hazard dams and certain rural earthen dams to a federal watershed rehabilitation assistance program.
In the House Agriculture Committee since Sept. 28, 2026, 7 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 28, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- SENATESENATE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Dam rehabilitation programs set rules for which structures can qualify for federal help. The bill would add eligible high hazard potential dams and certain rural earthen dams to the structures that can qualify for assistance under the watershed program. The dams would still have to meet the law's conditions for rehabilitation.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Adds covered dams to rehabilitation eligibility
The bill would make a covered dam eligible for rehabilitation assistance under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act when it meets the law's conditions for structural measures near, at, or past their evaluated life expectancy.
- Includes high-hazard dams
A covered dam would include an eligible high hazard potential dam, using the definition in the National Dam Safety Program Act.
- Defines qualifying rural earthen dams
A dam would also qualify as covered if it is in a town with fewer than 5,000 people and more than 50 percent of its embankment volume consists of compacted earth layers.
The bill's practical effect would be to make additional types of dams eligible for rehabilitation assistance under the federal watershed program. That could give communities with qualifying dams another route to seek help with rehabilitation.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 28, 2026HOUSESEP 28, 2026By Rep. RileyReferred to Agriculture
- SAME DAYNOWHouse committeeSEP 28, 2026AGRICULTURE NOWSEP 28, 2026In committee for 7 daysNo hearing yet
- 7 DAYS SO FARPassed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Senate committee—SENATE—
- Passed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 282026SEP 28, 2026REFERREDHOUSEReferred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- SEP 282026SEP 28, 2026INTRODUCEDHOUSEIntroduced in House
At day 7, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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