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| Wilson Project Reducing South Valley Flooding Passes House |
April 19, 2007 |
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WRDA Bill Promotes River & Drought Studies and Wildfire Prevention
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson continues to work for the federal resources to take care of flooding that has recurred in the South Valley for decades following rainstorms.
Wilson, who has focused on this effort since she was elected in 1998, today welcomed House passage 394-25 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.
“Flooding in the South Valley has been a problem for decades,” Wilson said. “This project is intended to solve the flooding – not just move the water from one piece of property to the next.”
In the fall of 1998, Wilson went down to the South Valley the day after a significant rain storm to see the damage up close. Each time we have a heavy rain, it causes property damage. For years, there was no master plan to solve the problem, one that affects the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy, the City, the County, Isleta Pueblo, AMAFCA, and many private property owners and businesses.
With the leadership of the Congressional delegation, the various government entities came together under the umbrella of the Army Corps of Engineers – the federal experts on floods and rivers. Wilson fought for funding for the Corps to develop a comprehensive assessment of the flooding and a plan to deal with it. That plan is being implemented step by step, through phases of design, engineering, and other work.
WRDA authorizes $16.15 million in federal support for the project, requiring a partial state/local match of the remaining $8.69 million of the estimated total cost.
Other WRDA provisions of importance to New Mexico:
Authorizes the Secretary of the Army to fight wildfires.
Directs completion of a drought study in the Southwestern U.S. including New Mexico.
Contains watershed management and river basin assessment efforts that include the Rio Grande.
Extends the tribal partnership program that funds water projects in Indian Country without requiring local matching funds through 2012.
Provides technical planning assistance to states and doubles the yearly limit per state or tribal government to $1 million.
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