Watertown Flood Control Efforts Gain Momentum with $170,000 State Grant Approval
- Steve Jurrens
- Apr 20
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council moved one step closer to long-term flood mitigation on Monday night, approving a resolution to accept an additional $170,000 grant from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR). The funding, provided through the State Water Resources Management System (SWRMS) program, is earmarked for the ongoing Big Sioux Flood Control Study.
This latest funding brings the total state grant contribution for the study to $625,000. According to city officials, this cumulative amount is intended to cover exactly half of the city’s local cost share for the feasibility study currently being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
City Engineer Justin Petersen updated the council on the study’s status, noting that the project has reached a more intensive technical phase. The Army Corps is currently working toward a “30% design” threshold, a new internal requirement that must be met for the project to receive final federal approval.
“The Corps of Engineers is kind of finalizing the report,” Petersen explained. “One of the requirements, kind of actually new requirements of the project, is they’re looking to get to about 30% design... in order for it to be approved internally”.
The current scope of the project focuses on two primary components: constructing a levee on the east side of the Big Sioux River through town and widening the river channel. Notably, previous controversial proposals—such as using Lake Kampeska as a retention bladder or adjusting the lake’s weir—have been officially discarded.
A Decade of Planning
The quest for a comprehensive flood control plan is not a new endeavor for Watertown. City Manager Alan Stager reminded the council and the public that the current study phase originated in 2015. Since that time, total estimated study costs have grown from roughly $1.05 million to $2.65 million as of late 2024, driven by required additional design efforts and updated scopes of work.
“This is still preliminary, and it begins a long process when we do finally get a report back,” Stager cautioned. “It’s been at least over a year and a half since the city has approved expending any more money on it. Every action that we’ve taken over the last year and a half has been to accept grants or lower contract amounts”.
Timeline and Next Steps
Despite the influx of grant funding, actual construction remains on the horizon. Petersen indicated that even after the Army Corps releases its final report for public comment, several bureaucratic hurdles remain.
“It’s still likely two years out before we have any potential dirt moving,” Petersen said. “First step is a report, and then it goes to DC”.
Mayor Ried Holien emphasized the importance of clarity for residents regarding the project’s direction, particularly the decision to move away from using Lake Kampeska for retention. Petersen confirmed that the focus remains strictly on the Big Sioux River channel and the levee system.
