LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced Monday that $1 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be used for upgrades to Louisville's aging flood protection system.
The funding for the upgrades had been included in USACE's Fiscal Year 2023 Work Plan. In 2018, McConnell helped fun a feasibility study to determine what upgrades needed to be made to prevent future damage.
“The Louisville area has seen its fair share of severe storms in recent years, which has made us hyper-focused on investing in flood prevention methods. This funding will bring much-needed repairs to the city’s aging flood control systems and invest in the longevity and safety of Louisville’s infrastructure,” McConnell said in a press release. “I was proud to help secure today’s funding and look forward to continued collaboration with the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District to ensure my hometown has the resources it needs to prevent flood-related destruction in the future.”
The USACE and the Metropolitan Sewer District completed a study in 2020, which resulted in plans to repair and rehabilitate 14 pump stations, modified two road closure structures and floodwall repairs, among other improvements.
“The inclusion of $1 million in this year’s Army Corps work plan is a needed down payment on flood protection for Louisville and sets the stage to pursue additional federal funding to move these critical improvement projects forward," said Louisville MSD Executive Director Tony Parrott in a press release.
The USACE build a flood wall, a system of levee and pump stations to protect the city following Louisville's 1937 flood, according to Parrott.