HR 3857 United States House · 119th Congress

Snow Water Supply Forecasting Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes the federal Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program through 2031, updating its focus to integrate advanced technologies for more accurate snowpack measurement and water supply forecasting. It specifically requires the use of commercially available technologies like airborne laser altimetry, imaging spectroscopy, and physics-based modeling to provide real-time, spatially complete data. The program must now emphasize activities that improve forecasting responsiveness to changing conditions, integrate data with water management decisions (including interstate disputes), and build partner capacity in key river basins. The changes directly affect federal water management agencies and Western states relying on snowmelt for water supply planning.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2026
House Passage
Dec 2025
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Jun 10, 2025 Last action Jun 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House Engrossed in House · 6 edits · Dec 10, 2025
MODERATE
The Engrossed version of HR 3857 broadens the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program's technology scope by removing the 'emerging' qualifier and the 'airborne' limitation on imaging spectroscopy, shifts emphasis from measurement alone to integrated measurement and modeling, specifies NOAA and NRCS as included federal agencies, and changes funding from a $15 million aggregate appropriation for FY2022-2026 to $3 million per year for FY2027-2031.
SCOPE

Removed the word 'emerging' before technologies and replaced 'such as' with 'including the integration of,' broadening the program from only emerging technologies to any commercially available or other technologies that provide complete integration of snowpack measurements and models.

Changed 'airborne imaging spectroscopy' to simply 'imaging spectroscopy,' removing the requirement that the technology be airborne and potentially including ground-based or satellite-based approaches.

Added explicit reference to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as examples of other federal agencies included in the program, clarifying interagency participation.

FISCAL

Changed funding from '$15,000,000, in the aggregate, for fiscal years 2022 through 2026' to '$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.' The total remains $15 million over five years but is now structured as an annual appropriation and the period shifts forward by one year.

TECHNICAL

Changed 'Section 1111 of the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act' to simply 'The Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act,' removing a specific section number reference that may have been incorrect or unnecessary.

Corrected 'subparagraph (g)' to 'subsection (g)' in the funding provision, fixing a drafting error in the statutory cross-reference.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
7
Committee
9
Amendments
3
Jun 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
upper
Mar 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.
upper
Dec 11, 2025
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
upper
Dec 10, 2025
Introduced
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
lower
Dec 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
lower
Dec 9, 2025
Introduced
Mr. Hurd (CO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
lower
Sep 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-293.
lower
Jul 23, 2025
Introduced
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
lower
Jul 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Jul 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Discharged
lower
Jun 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Hearings Held
lower
Jun 23, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries.
lower
Jun 10, 2025
Committee
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
lower
Jun 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

Sponsors