On Tuesday, Senator Katie Britt introduced bipartisan legislation that would place the National Weather Service’s thirteen River Forecast Centers under control of the University of Alabama’s National Water Center (NWC), America’s first-ever center for water forecast operations.

River Forecast Centers offer hydrological data and important weather-related forecasts and warnings. Currently, the Centers are controlled by their regional offices.

The bill would codify the NWC’s authority under the Office of Water Protection to lead the transition of national water resources research.

“The National Water Center has been instrumental to the [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s] efforts to strengthen America’s water forecasting capabilities, improve weather-preparedness, and modernize water technologies,” said Britt. “I’m proud of the Center’s world-class capabilities, and I have no doubt this legislation will further enhance critical research and applied sciences that benefit our entire nation.”

Britt thanked her Democratic counterpart, Senator Peter Welch of Vermont, for helping to introduce the legislation.

Welch explained that future investments in hydrology modeling and prediction are “crucial” across the country, “from Vermont to Alabama.”

“Our bipartisan Water Research Optimization Act of 2024 will strengthen and align current hydrology research at the National Weather Service with vital research at [the University of Vermont] to foster flood-resilience and help communities rebuild better after natural disasters,” Welch said.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten.