Yesterday, with the support of Congressman David Rouzer, the House passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, following unanimous approval by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 14.
The legislation includes Surf City’s federal beach renourishment project and multiple flood reduction studies for communities across Southeastern North Carolina. The bill now advances to the Senate for consideration.
“WRDA 2026 delivers for Southeast North Carolina, moving critical federal water infrastructure projects forward more efficiently and helping meet the needs of communities across our region,” said Congressman Rouzer. “The House passage brings us another step closer to strengthening our communities and making our homes and businesses more resilient to future natural disasters.”
WRDA 2026 North Carolina priorities championed by Congressman Rouzer include:
- Surf City 50-Year Federal Beach Nourishment Project: Authorizes $292.8 million in federal funding over the 50-year life of the Surf City Coastal Storm Risk Management Project, periodically renourishing the beach and dune system to reduce storm damage and strengthen the long-term resilience of Topsail Island,
- Improves Flood Resiliency: Advances three flood risk management studies in Whiteville's Waccamaw River Basin, Fayetteville's Cross Creek Watershed, and the Town of Topsail Beach, allowing the Corps to evaluate solutions to reduce flooding and better protect surrounding communities,
- Enhances Water Quality: Supports a water supply and ecosystem restoration feasibility study of the Cape Fear River in Cumberland County to identify new opportunities for regional water supply while removing hazardous substances from the water supply and strengthening the long-term health of the river,
- Strengthens White Lake Infrastructure: Authorizes $40 million for water, wastewater, stormwater, and other environmental infrastructure improvements to improve the community's long-term resilience.
The legislation also supports economic growth by improving Corps operations and increasing collaboration with non-federal partners on maintenance dredging projects. To accelerate project delivery at a lower cost, WRDA 2026 requires the Corps to provide regular project updates to Congress, allowing lawmakers and the Corps to identify solutions that keep projects on track.