Local Mitigation Grant Examples

Local Grant Project Examples

We have a great list of various projects that you can review for ideas and resources.

 

KAMM Community Grant projects

KAMM awarded grants to 2 communities in 2020 and 2021.

 

Success Story: City of London Whitley Branch Drainage Improvement Project

The City of London successfully utilized mitigation grant funding from FEMA and KYEM to mitigate flooding with an upgraded drainage system.

Presented by – Rick Cochrane, Public Safety-Risk Management Director and Steve Edge, Public Works Director, City of London

The Problem

• Residences on North Mill Street around Sycamore Street were experiencing severe flooding

• Two houses were acquired & demolished by the city to eliminate repetitive flooding and black mold hazards

• Several area businesses had substantial losses during Whitley Branch flood events

• Sewer Plant on Lagoon Trail was designed to handle 15 million gallons of sewer waste and water.  On a normal day the plant took in around 2.4 million gallons of sewage, but during a 2.0-inch rain event, the plant’s intake was over 12.4 million gallons of sewer and water

Link to the London Whitley Branch Drainage Success Story

 

Mountain Ash Road Slide Repair, Whitley County

This local success story describes the process of stabilizing a roadway along a steep hillside in rural Whitley County using hazard mitigation grant funding from FEMA and KYEM.

Presentation by Amber Owens, Director of County Projects and Jimmy Bates, Director of Infrastructure

Background – In 2002, Mountain Ash/Tackett Creek Road sustained three massive slides because of heavy rainfall in Whitley County. The county repaired the damage at a cost of $25,000.

• In 2008, due to another massive rain event, Mountain Ash/Tackett Creek Road was impassable because of slides in the same locations. The county repaired the damage at a cost of $20,000.

• In 2009, another rain event caused the road to slide again, closing the road to school buses and local traffic. The county spent $24,000 to allow local residents and buses to travel the road.

• The same happened in 2010 and 2012.

• In 10 years the county spent nearly $150,000 to try to fix the area.

• There were more than 200 residents on the other side of the slides.

• There is an alternate route around the slides, but because of the rural area and mountainous terrain, the alternate route added anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes onto their drive into town.

• During one of the county’s repairs, gabion baskets were placed along the sides of the road. Those did hold for a while, but eventually, the slides started again, and were getting worse. At one point, the area around one slide was almost a one lane road.

The Grant Award:
– Federal Share: $146,699.00
– State Share: $23,472.00
– Local Share: $25,428.00
– Total Project Cost: $195,598

Link to Whitley County, Kentucky DR 1818-162 Mountain Ash Road Slide Repair

Falmouth, KY – Rising Above the Floods – Falmouth Flood of 1997 and Beyond…Then and Now

Presented by Brian Thompson and Mike Moore

Background from 1997 Flooding.  

  • 5 people killed
  • 1000 people lost their homes
  • $50 Million in damage
  • The City received a $3 million grant through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to acquire 83 lots.

The Grant Award:  The City received a $3 million grant through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to acquire 83 lots.

Link to Falmouth, KY – Rising Above the Floods.

 

Reclaiming an Ecosystem: Planning Study of Three Forks of Beargrass Creek

Presentation by Lori Rafferty, Louisville MSD

Leveraging Federal Funding
• Authorized through the USACE General Investigation fund
• 3-year, up to $3M ecosystem restoration feasibility study for the three Beargrass Creek watersheds
• Louisville was selected as one of only six projects to be funded among a national pool of applicants, and the only ecosystem restoration project selected. This funding mechanism has also been used to restore portions of the Everglades and LA River.
• MSD is contributing up to $1.5M in value to the project through a combination of funding and in-kind
services.

Goals
• To improve the quality and connectivity of stream and riparian area habitat to foster safe, clean streams in the community.
• Produce a plan to identify restoration alternatives that will improve the ecological form and function of the Beargrass Creek Watershed, which contains the South, Middle, and Muddy forks.

Link to Reclaiming an Ecosystem: Planning Study of Three Forks of Beargrass Creek

 

Maple Street Flood Mitigation Project – Louisville

Presentation by Lori Rafferty

Maple St Flood Mitigation Project – Lori Rafferty

Background: August 4, 2009 Storm

  • Nearly 200 people were rescued by emergency workers from the tops of cars and houses
  • Two children saved from a flooded creek
  • Major flood damage at the University of Louisville and Churchill Downs

Grant Overview

  • Presidential Declared Disaster
  • Area not in the FEMA floodplain due to combined sewers
  • Most property owners did not have flood insurance
  • HMGP Grant sought due to the expense of acquisition and flood mitigation
  • USACE flood study used for grant application

Grant Award – 4-phase project, included 128 properties
• HMGP grant approved in 2012
• 75% Federal, 12% State, 13% Locally Funded
• $9.75 million property acquisition project

Link to Mitigating the Maple Street Area,

 

Vaughn’s Branch Hazard Mitigation Project (A Lexington Success Story)

Presentation by Ben Krebs, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government

Link to 2015 Vaughns Branch

 

Mitigation Matters!  

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