Lt. Governor Skillman Awards Terre Haute $754,587 for Improvements to Dam

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman announced yesterday that the City of Terre Haute will receive $754,587 for improvements to the Hulman Lake Dam.  The funds are from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. 

“A community’s infrastructure is a key part of its economic success or failure,” said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman.  “Rehabilitating this dam will move the community beyond the flooding issues it has experienced in the past and make the surrounding area a better place to live, work, and do business.”

Funding from this grant will be used to raise the height of the dam structure to increase storage capacity and re-shape the spillway outlet to better handle excess water during a very significant flooding event. The dam is currently listed as requiring updates by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and does not meet current design standards.  Mayor Duke Bennett appreciates the continued collaboration with the State of Indiana.  “The importance of ensuring that dams continue to meet safety standards was proven in June 2008.  This is especially important when a dam protects approximately 9,300 households in the Terre Haute area,” he said.

The CDBG funds were made available to aid in economic recovery after several natural disasters caused damage in many areas across the state during 2008.  Indiana’s CDBG Disaster Recovery program is administered by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA).