BWSR issues another $5.3 million in flood relief grants to City of Duluth

For release: Aug. 28, 2013 Contact: Jennifer Maleitzke, 651-215-9008 (office); 651-315-5082 (cell)

BWSR issues another $5.3 million in flood relief grants to City of Duluth

Two Harbors, Minn. — More financial help is on the way to stabilize bluffs and stream banks in northeastern Minnesota, after last year's storm events dumped more than 10.10 inches in Duluth and its surrounding areas.

Following a tour of conservation projects in Lake County, John Jaschke, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Executive Director, announced today the Board will issue an additional $5.3 million to the City of Duluth for flood relief projects.

"Landowners and local communities still have great needs to fix damages caused by last year's storms," Jaschke said. "We want to ensure those needs are addressed through projects to repair properties, to restore damages to the region's rivers and streams and to prevent pollution from entering Lake Superior."

Nineteen total projects will protect human safety, property and infrastructure, and will also stabilize and protect areas that have already been repaired with city funds or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds.

Some specific projects include:
• Stabilizing stream banks around Amity and Kingsbury Creeks
• Stabilizing stream banks around Keene Creek near Clay and Highland Streets
• Repairing culvert outlets to stream banks around Chester Creek
• Protecting Kenwood Avenue box culvert around Chester Creek
• Restoring stream bank erosion to Miller Creek around two places where it crosses Highway 53

Previously, the City of Duluth received a $1.7 million grant from BWSR for similar projects. The entire region has nearly $7 million from BWSR for flood relief projects.

Recommendations for this funding was provided by the MN Recovers Task Force, a team of federal, state and local agencies working together to prioritize and coordinate disaster recovery efforts by its member agencies.
 

###