A bill for an act relating to backwater variances for bridge construction or repair.

This bill (HF 631) changes Iowa's process for bridge construction or repair projects that exceed backwater limits. It requires the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) director to issue a variance if all affected landowners (who haven't already provided a flooding easement) sign a written acknowledgment that their property will flood during and after construction. Currently, DNR may require landowners to provide a flooding easement for excess backwater; this bill replaces that requirement with the written acknowledgment. The change directly affects state agencies, counties, and cities building or repairing bridges, and the landowners whose properties may flood. It streamlines the process by eliminating the need for easement acquisition in these cases.