OGDEN -- Weber County is getting $13 million -- the largest amount of any county in Utah -- to repair flood damage from last year's record runoff.
Utah, on the whole, is receiving $44 million, the second-largest amount of 33 states receiving funds.
Nationally, $300 million in National Resource Conservation Service emergency disaster relief will be spent repairing flood damage from last year.
The emergency funds are part of the Department of Agriculture's annual budget, and money allocated will be used to repair and stabilize agriculture and public safety infrastructure.
The federal money covers 75 percent of the cost of such repairs and is distributed based on local agencies' applications and ability to pay the balance, according to the USDA.
Sixteen Utah counties received funds. The second-highest amount behind Weber was for Washington County, which received $6.95 million.
Cache County received $6 million.
Weber County Emergency Services Director Lance Peterson said the funding is badly needed.
"We really think this will get us a long way down the road," he said.
"We've taken a few steps. This will get us a couple miles."
Before the flooding hit, he said, the county had identified five areas needing attention: Ogden Bay Wildlife Refuge, the 1933 levees along the Weber River, Little Weber diversion channel, debris removal, and repairing the riverbanks.
As predicted, the county got hit in all those areas. The river levee broke in several places, roads flooded out in Ogden Valley when Causey Reservoir spilled over, and fields and homes in West Weber were flooded.
But a combination of fortunate weather, careful handling of reservoirs and a lot of quick action on the ground to shore up levees and divert water prevented worse damage.
Now, Peterson said, the damage has to be fixed and the flood structures put into good condition for the next time.
In addition to the $13 million, for which Weber County has to provide a 25 percent match with either funds or in-kind service, the county is getting a $1.3 million grant for technical services, "so we can hire some engineering firms to help us to design these repairs and get these structures constructed," he said.
What will get fixed first is hard to say, Peterson said.
The Little Weber diversion -- an emergency channel from the river to Great Salt Lake in West Weber -- will certainly be finished, he said.
"We're working in partnership with the Ogden bird refuge. We also have a couple flooding issues in the upper valley as well, and we do have issues in Plain City, Marriott-Slaterville, Uintah, Riverdale and Ogden," he said.
"There are issues all along the river, so we don't know how far this money will go. It sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but we have got a lot to do."
For example, he said initial estimates are that it could cost several million dollars just to clear the river channels of debris so water can flow more freely.
"We have trees grown into the river, and that's expensive," he said.
Volunteers have helped county crews in the past, and Peterson said he will be calling for more when weather allows.
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