Federal money to repair levees damaged by 2011 Mississippi and Missouri River flooding is beginning to appear, easing farmers concerns, somewhat.
The US Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors have $800 million to work with in repairing levees damaged by the worst flooding recorded for the Mississippi River and Tributaries System.
The money is part of the $1.7 billion appropriated and signed into law by the president on December 23rd. It’s less than the $2 Billion estimated by the Corps to fix all the damage from last year’s flooding.
Today, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced $3.3 Million in state block grants to supplement federal levee repair funds in northwest Missouri – severely impacted by flooding. It will help cover the matching costs for repairs in seven levee districts located in Buchanan, Carroll, Holt and Platte Counties. Three more applications for grants are pending.
Nixon says “protecting valuable farmland, communities and vital infrastructure are critical priorities.”
The Corps has agreed to halt its planned artificial “spring rise” of the Missouri River this year to help keep potential flooding at bay.
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