Udall, Heinrich Announce $10.45 Million to Alamogordo for Flood Prevention, Water Infrastructure Upgrades

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that Alamogordo will receive $10.45 million from the Army Corps of Engineers to complete construction of the McKinley Channel and repairs to the Alamogordo South Diversion Channel. The two important projects will channel water from the Sacramento Mountains during rainstorms and help prevent downstream flooding in Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. Udall and Heinrich have encouraged the Army Corps of Engineers to fund these ongoing projects, which also will help strengthen Alamogordo's water infrastructure.

"Water infrastructure projects like the diversion channels we're close to completing in Alamogordo help protect New Mexico's homes and businesses from severe and expensive flood damage," Udall said. "As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I've been working to ensure that the Army Corps of Engineers funds much-needed water projects like these across the state. And I'll continue to fight for further important investments in the health and safety of our communities."

"These critical water management infrastructure investments will help protect our communities in Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin from devastating floods, and bring the McKinley Channel construction a step closer to completion," Heinrich said. "After FEMA remaps the flood plain, thousands of property owners will no longer need to carry flood insurance as part of their homeowners insurance, saving them money every month. The Army Corps of Engineers has been an important partner in addressing our flood risk in New Mexico, and I am pleased progress is being made toward completing these projects. I will continue to work to ensure these water and flood management programs remain a priority."

These projects are funded through the Army Corps of Engineers' discretionary fund for flood control, which Udall and Heinrich successfully pushed to include in last December's omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016.