The King County Flood Control District unanimously approved funds for a drainage system in the city of Covington on Sept. 29. The awarded funds come from a newly created program aimed at reducing the impact of local flooding.

The $176,000 grant recommended for Covington’s Clements/Southeast 263rd Place Stormwater Conveyance Improvement Project will replace an undersized, homeowner installed drainage system that conveys municipal surface water to Big Soos Creek. This area has experienced flooding and maintenance issues for some time. The new drainage system will work to alleviate those flooding issue.

“Communities across King County will benefit from this grant program that funds projects aimed at reducing localized flooding,” said Reagan Dunn, Chair of the Flood Control District, and whose district includes Covington, in a press release. “Longstanding flooding and drainage issues will be a thing of the past in this neighborhood thanks to this grant.”

The new grant program targets flood reduction projects throughout King County. A total of $2.6 million in grants were available for 2014, with the funds being awarded on a competitive basis by the Flood Control District. Eligible applicants included homeowner associations, private non-profit organizations or associations, schools, special districts, tribes and King County jurisdictions. Funded projects must be completed within 36 months of receiving funds.

“Project funding is hard to come by these days,” said Jeff Wagner, Covington Mayor Pro Tem, in the release. “We are very happy to move this project forward thanks to the King County Flood Control District’s new grant program.