U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., secured an additional $10 million in funding for the National Levee Safety Initiative (NLSI) to keep Kansas communities safe in an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2020.
This marks the first funding increase since the initiative’s establishment in 2014, bringing the total appropriated funding level up to $15 million.
Flooding continues in the Midwest, including moderate flooding on the Missouri River in Wyandotte County, and minor flooding on the Kansas River in Kansas City, Kansas. The Corps of Engineers stated in a news conference today that releases of 75,000 cubic feet per second of water from reservoirs in South Dakota will probably continue through June and July into the Missouri River, so continued flooding is possible.
“We’ve seen historic flooding across the Midwest this spring, damaging our communities and farms and reminding us all of need to have resilient flood infrastructure in place. Yet we are still relying on levees that are on average 50 years old and not built to withstand the severe flooding facing our country. That’s why I’ve advocated for the National Levee Safety Initiative, and why I’m so glad we were able to secure additional support for this critical program to help keep Kansas families safe,” Rep. Davids said.
This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ initiative sets levee safety guidelines, maintains the National Levee Database, provides for levee rehabilitation and repair, and supports Kansas’s levee safety programs. Levee systems provide critical flood control for communities.
But the program has yet to receive funding other than for the National Levee Database, and a 2016 Government Accountability Office report found that the Army Corps had difficulty implementing many aspects of the NLSI due to a lack of funding.
“Improving our levee system now will prevent billions of dollars in future flood damage repairs and will save Kansas taxpayers money. We can’t wait any longer – we must act now to protect our communities and avoid unnecessary future costs. I look forward to seeing this bill come to the House floor,” Rep. Davids said.
In April, Davids urged the House Appropriations Subcommittee to include critical funding for the NLSI as they develop the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY2020.
Now that the funding has been included in the Appropriations bill, it will move to the House floor for a vote.
Rep. Davids’ staff stated that any Army Corps of Engineers levee in Wyandotte County should be eligible for funding from this bill, along with other A.C.E. levees.