April 1, 2025

By Lane Kimble

Historic flooding like what happened to Lake Delton in 2008, the Bad River Reservation in far-northern Wisconsin in 2016, and central and western Wisconsin in 2018 can wipe out roads, culverts, dams, and homes.

Wisconsin aims to proactively prevent similar disasters by spending $2 million in grants to local communities and organizations.

Gov. Tony Evers announced the Pre-Disaster Flood Resilience Grants this week.

Nearly a dozen communities and countieswill use the funding to look at ways to shore up erosion and flood-prone areas. The City of Oshkosh received the largest grant at $300,000.  Vernon and Dane counties along with the City of Green Bay also received at least $250,000 each.

“Taking action now, before flooding strikes, will help reduce the impacts of future flooding events,” WEM Administrator Greg Engle said in a news release. “By helping Wisconsin communities become more flood resilient, we will save on response and recovery costs later.”

The state grants cover up to 75% of a study or project’s cost, with the county or municipality covering the other 25%.  Communities can also tap into federal funding, nonprofits and in-kind donations to pay for the work.