Wicker sponsors bill to better tackle flooding at federal, state, local levels

A National Integrated Flood Information System, designed to improve the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) forecasting and communication of flood, tornado and hurricane events, would be established under a bipartisan bill sponsored on March 3 by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).

“This legislation would protect lives and property by directing NOAA to improve its flood monitoring, forecasting and communication efforts,” said Sen. Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “I am eager to see the measure advance for Mississippians and all Americans who face dangers caused by flooding.”

The Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support (FLOODS) Act, S. 558, which Sen. Wicker introduced with cosponsor U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports, also would create partnerships with institutions of higher education and federal agencies to improve total water predictions. In addition, it would designate a service coordination hydrologist at each National Weather Service River Forecast Center to increase impact-based decision support services at the state and local levels, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Wicker’s office.

If enacted, S. 558 also would encourage NOAA to evaluate acoustic tracking and measuring of windstorms, to use aerial surveys of floodwaters to improve flood mapping, and to improve modeling of freshwater outflow into the ocean, among other provisions, the summary says.

“Flooding is a common and deadly natural disaster in the U.S., resulting in over $25 billion in annual economic losses,” said Sen. Wicker. “Events in my home state of Mississippi, such as the prolonged opening of the Bonnet Carré spillway and the Pearl River and Yazoo backwater floods, underscore the importance of an effective understanding and response to high water.”