$26.2M Flood Mitigation Grant Approved for Burlington, Iowa

City officials in Burlington, Iowa, announced it will be able to build flood walls and other barriers to keep the Mississippi River at bay during flood events.

The city has been awarded a $26.2 million grant from the state Homeland Security and Emergency Management Flood Mitigation Fund. Burlington’s city manager told the council that the money will be used to fund their flood mitigation project.

According to City Manager Jim Ferneau, the Flood Mitigation Board based its decision to approve the grant partially on the calculated offset of damage the flood mitigation will provide. He said the board calculated the $26.2 million will help prevent about $118 million in damage.

The Hawk Eye reports that Ferneau and City Planner Charlie Nichols traveled to Johnston Monday to answer questions from the 13-member Flood Mitigation Board before the grant was approved.

“They voted before we left. We got $26.2 million,” Ferneau said. “Charlie was very ecstatic.”

Burlington initially submitted an application for about $32 million by the Jan. 1 deadline, but state staff wanted the city to reduce the number so that the city of Des Moines could apply for a $110 million grant. Des Moines’ application is still pending, according to Ferneau.

Burlington’s flood mitigation project is expected to cost more than $64 million. More than $17 million for sewer separation projects will be provided by federal funding. The city will contribute nearly $21 million in sewer separation funding.

The manager said the public will not see any construction for a year and a half, and the project will be completed in 2023.