Gov. Evers, DMA Announce $2 Million in Grant Awards to Improve Flood Resilience In Communities Across Wisconsin

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (DMA), today announced $2 million in grants to local communities and organizations through the Pre-Disaster Flood Resilience Grant (PDFRG) program. The PDFRG program, which was created by Gov. Evers in 2024 and is administered by Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), aims to help communities in flood-prone areas identify flood vulnerabilities, such as erosion hazards, road and culvert washouts, and incised stream channels. In addition, the program also works to implement prevention strategies and solutions, such as reconnecting streams and floodplains, mitigating erosion hazards, restoring or improving natural flow and movement of water or sediment, reestablishing area foliage and plant life, and more, to help naturally manage flooding before disaster strikes.

“We all know that Wisconsin is no stranger to devastating flooding, affecting folks’ lives and livelihoods and costing Wisconsinites millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses, local infrastructure, and the environment,” said Gov. Evers. “Especially as communities in our state are still recovering from the devastating floods we experienced in August, getting these funds out the door and into the hands of partners across the state to help communities mitigate the impacts of flooding and build flood-resilient infrastructure is more important than ever.”

Flooding is one of the most frequently occurring natural disasters across Wisconsin and the United States, affecting a number of Wisconsin municipalities and increasing damage costs to public and private property. Research suggests that as little as one inch of water in a home or business can cause tens of thousands of dollars of damage.

This announcement comes as last August, Gov. Evers declared a state of emergency for several Wisconsin communities following severe flash flooding and storm damage, and following his declaration, the governor secured a federal disaster declaration and Individual Assistance for individuals and households in Milwaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties.

Previously, Gov. Evers declared a state of emergency for several Wisconsin communities following severe flash floods in July 2024, and in April 2023, Gov. Evers declared a state of emergency due to elevated flooding concerns following heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt that contributed to flooding issues in several counties across the state. The growing threat of flooding and other severe weather underscores the importance of communities evaluating their risk of flooding and taking appropriate actions to prepare for and mitigate flooding concerns before an emergency occurs. Additional information on the PDFRG and other hazard mitigation grants can be found here.

Gov. Evers has long supported and repeatedly proposed efforts to address the devastating effects of flooding in Wisconsin, including joining a bipartisan group of legislators to introduce legislation in 2020, as well as introducing similar policies as part of his 2021-23, 2023-25, and 2025-27 Executive Budgets. Just like the budget before it, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed into law by Gov. Evers last summer included a $2 million investment for the PDFRG program, as well as funding for the Municipal Flood Control Grant Program.

“Making investments before flooding occurs helps protect people and property,” said WEM Administrator Greg Engle. “These grants give communities across our state the resources to restore floodplains and reduce long-term vulnerabilities, which will reduce damage when the waters rise.”

There are two types of grants available via the PDFRG for assessment and implementation:

• Assessment grants offer funding for gathering information on vulnerabilities and flood resilience priorities, such as understanding erosion hazards or identifying opportunities to increase flood resilience; and
• Implementation grants offer funding for the implementation of wetland, culvert, floodplain, or stream restoration projects identified through an assessment grant or comparable assessment project. These restoration projects include reconnecting streams and floodplains and improving the natural flow of water or sediment.

The grant program is open to Wisconsin municipalities, counties, regional planning commissions, federally recognized Native Nations or Bands, or nonprofit organizations and private consulting organizations on behalf of one or more applicants. The PDFRG covers 75 percent of the project, while the other 25 percent is covered by non-state funds, such as federal, local, private, or nonprofit funding, as well as in-kind donations. The PDFRG program focuses on areas that have been the site of a presidentially declared disaster or governor-issued state of emergency for flooding within the past 10 years or areas with localized flood risk identified in a hazard mitigation plan approved by WEM.

Interest in the program exceeded the funding available, as WEM received 21 applications totaling over $2.6 million. Statewide, 15 communities received approximately $2 million in grant funding, including:

City of Fond du Lac | $123,750
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure, as well as to analyze flood mitigation alternatives.

City of Madison | $250,000
An implementation grant to remove the concrete channel on Castle Creek in Warner Park and restore it to a wetland to better absorb flood waters.

City of Stevens Point | $225,000
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure in three sub-watersheds of the Wisconsin River that cover 35 percent of the city.

City of Watertown | $133,575
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure, as well as looking at alternatives to storm sewer upgrades.

Jefferson County | $45,000
An assessment grant to study water flow and alternative prioritization countywide.

Milwaukee County Parks | $75,959.87
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure, as well as looking at mitigation options for the flood-prone Milwaukee County Sports Complex in Franklin.

Oneida Nation | $300,000
An assessment grant to create a culvert inventory, as well as studying water flow and hydraulic structure.

Ozaukee County | $250,000
An implementation grant to reconnect Milwaukee River wetlands and floodplains and to restore habitat along County Highway Trunk W, where the highway acts as a levee, isolating the river from its historic floodplain and exacerbating flooding.

Pepin County | $60,000
An assessment grant to study water flow and complete detailed floodplain mapping along the Arkansaw Creek, which is prone to flash flooding during periods of heavy precipitation.

Vernon County | $63,156.13
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure to focus on planning for property buyout locations.

Washington County | $75,000
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure, as well as to analyze flood mitigation alternatives in the Germantown area.

Town of Lebanon (Dodge County) | $18,225
An assessment grant to determine why Rock River flood flows have been increasing over historic levels and evaluate alternatives for mitigation.

Town of Marengo (Ashland County) | $178,584
An implementation grant to create a design for erosion control to improve fluvial flood hazards along Eade Road, which will contribute to a regional flood reduction strategy in the Marengo River watershed.

Town of Oakland (Douglas County) | $45,000
An assessment grant to create a culvert inventory for the township. Funding would also go towards studying water flow and hydraulic structure.

Village of Bristol | $156,750
An assessment grant to study water flow and hydraulic structure to inform the village of flood risks.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.