Provides multi-year authorized funding and program changes for university-based water resources research institutes. It authorizes $16 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2029, requires that 20% of those funds support research on interstate water problems, and revises program rules to emphasize competitive grants, specified research priorities, and updated federal cost‑share and funding-availability language.

Expands and modernizes how water resources research institutes receive and use Federal support by adding competitive grant authority, clarifying allowable priorities, and adjusting matching and availability rules to guide distribution of the authorized funding.