The SNP has been criticised for slashing funding for the body at the frontline of flood protection while Scottish communities count the cost of a series of disasters.
With Tayside facing yet more flood misery, Finance Secretary John Swinney was made to defend his 6% funding reduction for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) on live television.
Labour also waded in and called for the SNP to think again about the cut and for there to be a nationwide review into local authorities’ flood defence systems.
Under Mr Swinney’s draft budget, which was presented to Holyrood last month, Sepa will see its funding go down from £39 million to £36.6m in 2016-17.
The budget for national assets and flooding will be frozen at £9.1m.
Mr Swinney, a Perthshire MSP, said on Sky News’ Murnaghan programme that Sepa’s budget settlement “provides for sustained funding” for flood protection and alleviation schemes, as well as for flood forecasting.
He added: “We have got a lot of work that is being done just now to protect communities from the harsh effects of flooding.
“I was in Ballater on Thursday to see first-hand the very acute difficulties that have been experienced and the First Minister was down in the south-west of Scotland.
“Flooding and the implications of flooding are very serious for individuals and the Government is committed to doing all that we can to support communities in withstanding these challenges.”
He said the SNP had driven forward flood prevention schemes “right across the length and breadth of Scotland over the last nine years”.
He said the Scottish Government is supporting communities in “establishing a much more resilient approach to dealing with flooding”.
Sarah Boyack MSP, Labour’s environment spokeswoman, said: “Given that we know there is more bad weather on the way, the SNP need to think again about the proposal to cut Sepa’s budget.”
Earlier, Mark Ruskell, environment spokesman for the Scottish Greens, said the “terrible” flooding seen in the last few days demonstrates the need to invest quickly in the changing climate and to focus on a low-carbon economy.