Flood Damage Reduction Grant
Assistance Program
BACKGROUND
One of the important ways that Minnesota DNR Waters accomplishes its strategic mission is the Flood Damage Reduction Grant Program. The Flood Damage Reduction Grant Assistance Program (FDR) was established by the 1987 Legislature to provide technical and financial assistance to local government units for reducing the extent of flood damages. Under this program the state makes cost-share grants for up to 50% of the total local cost of flood mitigation projects. Since the inception of the program, almost $61 million in state grant monies have been distributed to local units of government across Minnesota for flood damage reduction projects. Flood damage mitigation projects in Minnesota have averted over one-half billion dollars in damages.
The flood damage reduction grant assistance program is designed to mitigate damages due to flooding in rural and urban floodplain areas. The commissioner may also make grants to local government to conduct studies to determine the most feasible, practical, and effective methods and programs for mitigating the damages due to flooding within flood prone areas. Some eligible project examples are:
- Structural acquisition in the 100-year floodplain
- Levees, Ring Dikes, Flood Walls
- Flood warning systems
- Feasibility studies
- Public education workshops
- Flood Insurance Studies
- Floodplain ordinance changes
- Floodplain mapping
- Comprehensive watershed plans
- Flood storage easements
- Floodplain/river restorations
- Cost-share on federal projects
There are currently two different classes of grants available. Small grants are for projects with a total cost of less than or equal to $300,000 (state share less than $150,000). Small grants are made directly by the DNR from funds appropriated by the legislature. Large grants are for projects with a total cost greater than $300,000 (state share greater than $ 150,000). Large grant applications are received and prioritized by the DNR and then presented to the Governor and the legislature for consideration in a capital bonding bill.
In addition to partnering directly with local units of government, FDR grants can be used to leverage financial and technical assistance from other agencies. DNR Waters and local units of government have partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on federal flood control projects as well as projects in the Federal Section 14, 22 and 205 programs. FDR funds can also be used to leverage acquisition and hazard mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the State Division of Emergency Management following a disaster.
The ravages of flooding can have disastrous effects on peoples lives and their community. Participation in the FDR program enables communities to break the tremendously expensive damage - repair cycle and is extremely cost effective. The flood control project in Oslo, Minnesota was built using $100,000 in local funding. The project has averted damages totaling almost $16 Million in 1996 and 1997 alone. The FDR program shields people and their communities from future disasters.
DNR Information: 651-296-6157 1-888-646-6367 TTY: 651-296-5484 1-800-657-3929
FLOODPLAIN ACQUISITIONS
- Over 203 homes were removed from the floodplain following the 1993 flood
- Over 1200 homes were removed from the floodplain following the 1997 flood
FARMSTEAD RING DIKES
- Over 100 farmstead ring dikes have been constructed in 1997-1998
- Another 200 ring dikes are planned for the future
COMMUNITY LEVEES
- Total cost $1.4 million
- Local share $100,000
- Damage averted $15.8 million
- $6.8 million in 1996
- $9.0 million in 1997
Henderson flood damage reduction project
- Total cost $1.8 million
- State share $203,000
- Damages averted $4.9 million
- $2.8 million in 1993
- $2.1 million in 1997
- Highly cost effective
FLOOD DAMAGE REDUCTION FISCAL YEAR 1998
- $28.5 M - LERRDs (Federal Projects)
- Chaska - levee system
- Crookston - levee and high flow cutoff
- East Grand Forks - setback levee and greenway
- Marshall - acquisition, levee, and bypass
- Stillwater - levee and floodwall
- Warren - off channel storage and bypass
- $9 M - Structural Acquisition
- $8 M - Flood Proofing
- $2.4 M - Farmstead Ring Dikes
- $1.5 M - General Fund Money
- $250K - Section 22
- $500K - Section 205
- $200K - Alternative Flood Control
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The River Oaks Subdivision in southwestern Moorhead was developed on a meander bend of the Red River in the 1950’s and 60’s before the area became part of the City, and prior to modern floodplain management regulations. Over a dozen large, expensive homes in the subdivision sustained repeated damage totaling nearly $350,000 in six floods between 1969 and 1993.
MITIGATION MEASURES EMPLOYED
In 1994, the City received funding from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (MN Division of Emergency Management) and the Flood Damage Reduction Program (MN Dept. of Natural Resources) to acquire 8 of the homes at greatest risk. About an equal number of homeowners declined to participate in the buyout program. Owners of the acquired properties contributed about 15% of the total cost. Four of the homes were demolished after being used by the FBI for a training exercise. The other four were relocated out of the floodplain. Empty lots were converted to open space and added to an existing city park in the area.
PROJECT BENEFITS
In 1997, a record flood caused extensive damage to the homes that remained in the subdivision. No damage occurred to the homes that had been removed. The cost of the 1994 buyout of 8 homes was more than recouped by avoiding damage to them in one flood event in 1997. Since the ’97 flood, the City has received additional funds from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to buy 16 additional flood-prone homes in several locations, including some in the River Oaks Subdivision that did not participate in 1994.
PROJECT COST
$1,030,424
FUNDING SOURCES
- $772,818 in HMGP (75%)
- $60,000 in MDNR funds from Flood Damage Reduction Program (6%)
- $42,126 in MN Division of Emergency Management state match funds (4%)
- $155,480 in match by owners of acquired properties (15%)