Simpson Secures Flood Control Project Fix for Gooding

Washington, D.C. – Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson announced today that he secured a cost limit adjustment for a flood control project that he has long sought for the City of Gooding, Idaho in H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. 

“This is an important step forward for the Little Wood River project, which is something I’ve been working on since I came to Congress,” said Congressman Simpson.  “Since 2007, this project has been delayed for a number of reasons not within fault or control of the local community.  Recently, the Army Corps of Engineers notified the community twice that large portions of the project would have to be ‘de-scoped’ due to inflation causing the cost of the project to now exceed the amount for which it was originally authorized.  This bill allows those critical portions of the project to be added back in.”

The Gooding River Wall project was originally authorized by Section 3057 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007.  The project would replace the walls of the channel that flows through the City of Gooding, Idaho, which was constructed in the 1930s.  The Walla Walla District of the Army Corps of Engineers noted in its 2018 Integrated Rehabilitation Letter Report and Environmental Assessment that “many sections of the wall have failed, leading to an increase in localized flood risk and threat to adjacent public infrastructure and private property.”

“The City of Gooding has been waiting a long time for this project to be completed, with the threat of major flooding looming every year,” said Simpson.  “Today’s fix, along with an FY23 Community Project Funding request that I submitted for this purpose should get this important flood control project off the ground and on the path to completion once and for all.”

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