A bipartisan bill that would provide flood-resilient grants in order to better protect the state against 100-year floods was recently passed and sent to Gov. Tony Evers, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Senate Bill 222 would provide two types of grants — assessment and implementation — offering up to $300,000 or $250,000, respectively, to fund restoration projects and minimize flood damages.
100-year floods are floods which have a 1% chance of occurring based on historical data, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Over the last decade, there has been an estimated $365 million worth of flood damage in Wisconsin, with studies suggesting weather patterns across Wisconsin will only intensify, Wisconsin Wetlands Association policy liaison Jennifer Western Hauser said.
The first of SB222’s grants, intended to assess flood vulnerabilities, would investigate water flow in areas of repeated damage, the conditions of streams and wetlands upstream from said areas and study how sediment and debris can compound damage, Hauser said.
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“I think people want to be prepared and do what they can,” Hauser said. “[This bill] is one way to help local governments become proactive in both understanding their vulnerabilities and then taking action. What we’re trying to do with this program is offer the opportunity for local governments to look upstream at [causes of] damage.”
The second grant would implement hydrologic restoration projects and reestablish healthy flow and drainage systems, according to Hauser. Such projects would include reconnecting streams with floodplains, reestablishing wetland storage and improving the natural flows of water and sediment.
Professor Kenneth Potter, a specialist in flooding and water management at the University of Wisconsin, said human activities play a role in exacerbating the frequency and severity of flooding. Centuries of human-induced air temperature increases have enabled the atmosphere to retain more moisture, leading to changes in rainfall patterns.
Potter said while the effects of these changes vary globally, urbanization compounds the issue by reducing ground infiltration of rainwater, thereby escalating runoff and heightening flood risks.
In recent years, groundwater flooding — water rising above ground surfaces and causing flooding — has infiltrated basements and has even created new lakes, Potter said.
“[Groundwater Flooding] is one of our biggest problems right now,” Potter said. “[Some lakes] were just wetlands before and now they’re massive.”
The last time Madison faced severe flooding was in 2018, when unprecedented rainfall overwhelmed the city’s stormwater management system, leading to widespread water intrusion into homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, according to The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts. The floods revealed the city’s infrastructure vulnerabilities, particularly in areas developed on former wetlands where drainage capacity was insufficient for such extreme weather events.
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The significant damages prompted urgent calls for a comprehensive review of Madison’s management strategies. Specific infrastructure improvements include frequent basin and grate clearings and storm sewer repairs, according to the City of Madison. Other projects include wetland restoration, green infrastructure initiatives and floodplain management.
Since the implementation of these improvements, flooding issues have been relatively mitigable due to local government addressing the problem early. But, groundwater flooding is starting to become a prevalent issue the city should take steps to monitor, Potter said.
SB222’s grants are competitive meaning local governments will have to apply to receive financial aid. Assessment and implementation grants will be awarded from a pot of $2 million set aside for the program, though these communities must first be considered flood-prone under the provisions of the grants, Hauser said.
Potter and Hauser said state nonprofit groups are good resources for ongoing information about flood-relief. For people who are not experts in flood management, nonprofit organizations provide a navigable starting point for how to stay informed, Hauser said.
Though SB222 has yet to be signed by Evers, Hauser anticipates its passage as it was passed unanimously in the Wisconsin Senate with 30 co-sponsors.
“I’m optimistic that the governor will approve [the bill], and we all hope he will,” Hauser said. “We’re excited because it’s going to bring more opportunities to local governments [of] flood-prone communities.”
