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Commission adopts resolution to pursue levee study and federal/state funding advocacy
Summary
The commission adopted a resolution formalizing commitment to levee improvements and to advocate for federal and state funding for levee and stormwater work; staff said the levee system protects about $256 million in property and that an initial study would be a 50/50 cost-shared effort.
The Ottawa City Commission on March 5 adopted a resolution committing to levee and stormwater improvements and directing staff to advocate for federal and state funding for a levee assessment study.
City Manager Silcott explained the city has more than 4.5 miles of levee protecting a footprint that contains more than $256 million in property and more than 2,134 residents, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assessment. Silcott said the levee system and pump stations date from the original 1962 design; inspections and Corps assessments show deficiencies in pump capacity, interior drainage and underseepage that require study and phased engineering and construction. He said the city had previously qualified for funding but that federal priorities and program caps have changed; the proposed study would be a 50/50 cost-shared effort and help the city be competitive for limited federal funding and congressional designations.
Silcott recommended adoption of the resolution to formalize the city's commitment to levee improvements, to accept U.S. Army Corps of Engineers safety and inspection policies, and to direct staff to strengthen advocacy through the Missouri River Council and congressional contacts. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the location of farmed acres within the footprint, inspection cadence and the scope of the study. The commission moved, seconded and approved the resolution by roll-call vote.
