NAFSMA is the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies.
For 46 years, NAFSMA has given flood and stormwater agencies the federal access and policy intelligence they need to protect their communities.
Driving Flood and Stormwater Policy to Benefit Our Communities
46+ Years of Federal Advocacy
Direct Access to Federal Leadership
Connect with water resource leaders nationwide
Why Agencies Join NAFSMA
Federal Access: NAFSMA coordinates with USACE, FEMA, NOAA, EPA, Congress and the Administration on how federal policies and programs impact our members
Policy Intelligence: Time-critical alerts on regulations affecting your agency
Peer Community: Connect with water resource leaders nationwide.
NAFSMA is public-agency driven.
Our members are local, regional, and state water resource agencies as well as private firms with water resource expertise.
When your agency joins NAFSMA, you join a community of support. We’re built from the ground up to benefit public agencies like yours — and give you unique access to expertise.
Members share knowledge and work together. Membership connects you with peers at similar agencies, experienced water management leaders, and federal decision-makers.
You get valuable conferences, webinars, workshops, monthly newsletter and members-only calls, plus time-critical policy and regulation alerts, funding opportunities, and more.
Current Advocacy Priorities
Permit Reform
NAFSMA believes environmental protection and efficient permitting are not mutually exclusive. Well-designed flood infrastructure protects both communities and ecosystems. Our goal is a permitting system that maintains rigorous environmental standards while eliminating unnecessary delays, duplicative reviews, and unfunded mandates that keep critical projects from moving forward.
WRDA 2026
The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is the primary vehicle for authorizing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects and policies. NAFSMA is advocating for expanded alternative project delivery mechanisms under Sections 203, 204, and 1043 to give non-federal sponsors more flexibility to advance projects. We are also pushing for real estate acquisition reform to address delays caused by unrealistic appraisal and acquisition timelines, Section 408 streamlining for routine maintenance activities, and concurrent USACE technical reviews that allow sponsors to advance design work earlier in the process. Additionally, NAFSMA supports expanding WIFIA financing eligibility to non-federal flood projects
FEMA
NAFSMA supports reforming FEMA to improve efficiency, we believe disasters must be federally supported, state-managed, and locally executed. NAFSMA advocates for establishing FEMA as an independent agency, transforming public assistance from reimbursement to a grant model, consolidating hazard mitigation applications, and allowing experienced local jurisdictions to administer programs directly. The National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA's flood mapping initiatives remain critical to community resilience and the broader economy. With mitigation returning up to $13 for every $1 spent, continued federal investment protects lives, property, and economic growth.
Upcoming Events
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NAFSMA Awards
NAFSMA is now accepting applications for the 2026 Awards Program, recognizing excellence in water management innovation and community engagement. Applications Due March 31st!
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Annual Meeting Registration
Grounded in Mission: Leading Through Complexity
July 13–16, 2026 | Annapolis, Maryland
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Webinar on February 10th at 11 am eastern
Join NAFSMA for a webinar on Living with Water, water-resilient project planning developed by Waggonner & Ball. This innovative process transforms water from threat to asset through integrated planning, stakeholder engagement, and engineering that embraces water's value while keeping communities safe.
“State and local water resource agencies face increasingly complex issues as they collectively manage the nation’s water systems. NAFSMA plays a vital role in fostering dialog amongst member agencies, identifying common priority issues and advocating for federal policies and legislation that improve its member agencies ability to address the needs of the communities they serve.”
— Mark Pestrella, NAFSMA Past President, Director of Los Angeles County Public Works