A nearly half-million dollar community development grant will help build a new Flower Creek Dam in Libby.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced the City of Libby will receive $450,000 for the Flower Creek Dam project.
“The grant will go directly to creating good-paying construction jobs for repairing the dam in Libby,” Bullock said in a statement. “To have a healthy community, we need to ensure that folks have access to clean, healthy water.”
The grant is part of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, issued through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is meant to promote and develop local communities and their ability to provide essential services, such as wastewater systems.
“This money will go a long ways,” said Libby Mayor Doug Roll. “The dam on the reservoir here is the only source of drinking water for the citizens of Libby, and it is critical that we replace it before any sort of structural damages arise. We really appreciate the help that the grant will provide us.”
The new dam will be built 85 feet downstream from the current one and will cost an estimated $8 million. Construction was expected to begin this year but has been delayed in recent months. Built in 1946, the dam is now considered inadequate.
RELATED: Flower Creek Dam Construction Delayed
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the grant funds will help repair the Flower Creek Dam. The funding will help develop a new dam, according to Libby Mayor Doug Roll.