Council approves grant application for Riverside levee [Video]

SIOUX CITY — The Sioux City Council, by approving its consent agenda Monday, green-lighted an application to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Levee Improvement Program for $865,000 in grant funding to reduce the risk of future flooding in the Riverside neighborhood.

The funding, if awarded, will cover half of the estimated design and construction costs for the Big Sioux River levee extension project. 

“There are a number of items that can’t be included in the grant — the property acquisition, relocation, demolition, our engineering staff time aren’t included in there,” said Brittany Anderson, a senior civil engineer with the city. “Those additional funds are accounted for in the (Capital Improvement Program).”

City documents state that the project will extend the Big Sioux River left bank levee system north along River Drive, replacing the area identified as a temporary sandbag levee during high water events to reduce flood risk …