EECA helps secure $300K loan for levee improvements in Jackson County
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
JACKSON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI) — Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association helped the Degognia Fountain Bluff Levee District secure a $300,000 zero-interest loan through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program to fund new levee relief wells.
Officials said the project will install four relief wells designed to reduce underground water pressure beneath the levee system to help prevent structural damage and improve flood protection.
The Degognia-Fountain Bluff Levee & Drainage District maintains levee systems from Cora City to Fountain Bluff along the Mississippi River and from Oakwood Bottoms to Grimsby along the Big Muddy River.
EECA General Manager Shane Hermetz said the project highlights how partnerships can strengthen rural infrastructure and improve safety and long-term reliability for local communities.
According to EECA, the cooperative’s board approved the loan March 31, and the funds were distributed to the levee district May 20.
The USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for projects aimed at supporting rural infrastructure, businesses and community development initiatives.
