Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act of 2025
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act updates the Bureau of Reclamation's Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program. It shifts the program from a technology-evaluation phase into deployment of technologies that integrate snowpack measurement and modeling. The bill specifies airborne laser altimetry, imaging spectroscopy, integrated physics-based snowpack and hydrologic modeling, and other technologies likely to provide accurate or timely snowpack data for operational water management needs. It also adds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to the list of federal coordination partners.
The bill refocuses the program on maintaining, establishing, expanding, or advancing snowpack measurement and integrated modeling. It emphasizes improved snow and water-supply forecasts that respond to changing weather and watershed conditions, real-time integration with water-supply forecasts, river basins where better data can inform water-management decisions including interstate decisions, and partner capacity to implement and adapt to new forecast capabilities. It revises reporting to cover application, outcomes, and data resources used, and authorizes $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Who Benefits and How
Western state water managers, irrigation districts, agricultural water users, municipal water utilities, interstate river-basin administrators, drought planners, reservoir operators, hydrologic model developers, airborne laser altimetry providers, imaging spectroscopy providers, NOAA water forecasting staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-survey staff, and Bureau of Reclamation program partners benefit from better real-time snowpack data and integrated forecasts for water-supply decisions.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Bureau of Reclamation, NOAA water forecasting staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-survey staff, federal program partners, hydrologic modeling teams, and federal taxpayers must comply with the reauthorized program, coordinate data and technology deployment, build partner capacity, report on applications and outcomes, and fund $3,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Key Provisions
- Reauthorizes the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
- Shifts the program toward deployment of integrated snowpack measurement and modeling technologies.
- Provides for airborne laser altimetry, imaging spectroscopy, and integrated physics-based snowpack and hydrologic modeling.
- Requires coordination with NOAA, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other federal agencies.
- Requires real-time integration with water-supply forecasts and river-basin water management decisions.
- Authorizes $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Reauthorizes the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through fiscal year 2031, shifts it from technology evaluation toward operational deployment of integrated snowpack measurement and modeling, adds NOAA and NRCS coordination, and authorizes $3,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Key Policy Areas
Water Infrastructure, Agriculture, Science
Primary Purpose
Reauthorizes the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through fiscal year 2031, shifts it from technology evaluation toward operational deployment of integrated snowpack measurement and modeling, adds NOAA and NRCS coordination, and authorizes $3,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Western state water managers
- Irrigation districts
- Agricultural water users
- Municipal water utilities
- Interstate river-basin administrators
- Drought planners
- Reservoir operators
- Hydrologic model developers
- Airborne laser altimetry providers
- Imaging spectroscopy providers
- NOAA water forecasting staff
- Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-survey staff
Identified Costs
- Bureau of Reclamation
- NOAA water forecasting staff
- Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-survey staff
- Federal program partners
- Hydrologic modeling teams
- Federal taxpayers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed HouseCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported …
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and …
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to …
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without …
Passed House (inferred from eh version)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, …
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5136)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules …
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy …
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5077-5078; text: …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Bureau of Reclamation, NOAA water forecasting staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service snow-survey staff
Municipal water utilities, Western state water managers
Agricultural water users, Irrigation districts
Airborne laser altimetry providers, Imaging spectroscopy providers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "reclamation"
- → Bureau of Reclamation
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology