MAPWaters Act of 2025

The MAPWaters Act would direct the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior to standardize and consolidate information about public access to federal waterways. Within five years of enactment, federal agencies would be required to digitize and make publicly available online geographic data about federal waterways, including information on which waters are open or closed to entry, watercraft restrictions, motor restrictions, fishing restrictions, and seasonal closures. This information would be compiled from multiple federal agencies managing waterways, including the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. If enacted, the bill would allow anglers, boaters, hunters, and other water recreationists to easily access information about where they can legally and safely use federal waterways, rather than having to search through scattered agency documents and federal regulations. The legislation would not change existing fishing or navigation regulations, but rather make existing rules more accessible to the public.