The Council on Watershed Management approved $5.86 million in federal funding for three flood risk reduction projects in Region 3 during their Aug, 5 meeting.

These projects are among 13 projects awarded throughout the state for a total of $34 million in federal funding. The projects were recommended by the regional steering committees as part of the Round 1 grant awards.

Region 3 projects awarded are as follows: $2.68 million for portable pumps across Ouachita Parish, $2.68 million for Youngs Bayou Detention Pond in Monroe, and $500,000 for Georgia Street Pump Station in Monroe.

In May 2021, the Council on Watershed Management voted to award $61.6 million for 16 projects in the first part of Round 1 grants.

These awards included eight drainage infrastructure projects, four flood storage projects, two physical nonstructural mitigation projects, and two levee projects. The total of awards statewide in Round 1 is $95.6 million in federal funding for flood risk reduction projects.

Other regions also saw awards. Regions 1, 2, and 6 each had two awards. Region 5 had three awards. Regions 4 and 7 had one project in each region awarded. Regions 2 and 5 shared a project and is included in the counts.

LWI’s goal is to reduce statewide flood risk through a coordinated, regional, watershed-based approach. The state designated eight provisional watershed regions to facilitate collaboration, coordinate watershed management among parishes and align project funding with regional flood risk priorities.