Florida has provided the first of two $50 million grants to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to expedite repairs to the Herbert Hoover Dike of Lake Okeechobee. The state money will be used to build 6 miles of seepage barrier into the dike west of Belle Glade in Palm Beach County, Fla.
According to TC Palm, USACE has spent more than $940 million to build 21 miles of seepage barrier and replace water control structures in 2001. The total cost estimate for the dike rehab project is set at $1.8 billion, with a projected end date of 2022.
However, President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2019 includes $162 million for dike repairs. Sen. Marco Rubio has petitioned the corps to have some of the money go toward Florida water infrastructure repairs. The repairs are essential to ensure the dike does not leak.