A 547 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires DEP and owners of certain reservoirs to implement certain flood control measures; authorizes Office of Emergency Management to order lowering of reservoirs levels in response to severe weather events.

This New Jersey bill (A 547) requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to identify reservoirs with a history of causing downstream flooding and study their capacity and water needs. The DEP must then set maximum water levels for these reservoirs to balance flood prevention with water supply, and require owners to create approved flood action plans - including flood gates - for reservoirs linked to past flooding. The Office of Emergency Management can order reservoir levels lowered during severe weather to prevent flooding, after consulting with the DEP. Reservoir owners who follow approved plans and comply with emergency orders are protected from related lawsuits. The bill directly affects DEP, reservoir owners, and communities downstream of affected reservoirs.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
lower
2 primary · 6 co-sponsors

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