Ames Squaw Creek Flood Project Part Of FEMA Grant Funding To Iowa

From the City of Ames:

February 18, 2020

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced a grant to the State of Iowa that includes funding for Ames. The Ames City Council recently approved a funding agreement with FEMA to move the project forward. Through a nationally competitive grant process, the City of Ames is receiving funds for the Squaw Creek flood mitigation project to lower flood levels in the South Duff Avenue area. The grant will cover 75 percent of the project’s $4.9 million cost or $3.7 million.

“The South Duff Avenue area has experienced four major flooding events over a 20-year period that each significantly impacted area residents, businesses, and infrastructure. The most recent event was in 2010,” said Tracy Warner, Municipal Engineer. “Securing a federal grant to fund the Squaw Creek project moves us toward the goal of mitigating impacts of future flooding in Ames.”

The Squaw Creek Resilient Infrastructure Flood Mitigation Project, included in the City’s Capital Improvements Plan for 2020/2021, is estimated to reduce flooding by two feet along the major flood damage center in the South Duff Avenue commercial corridor. The project will include channel excavation of Squaw Creek at South Duff Avenue to improve creek capacity and resilience in large storm events. Additionally, the project will use stabilization techniques including natural channel design, streambank toe protection, and planting native vegetation to increase protection to area development.

“This is very exciting news for our community, and we appreciate being included in the FEMA funding,” Warner added. “As a city at the confluence of two waterways, we have experience with flooding and the damage it can do. We are looking forward to working on this solution to our community problem.”

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.