A total of $49 million will be invested in Arizona flood-control projects — the majority for a legacy project in Apache Junction — from a bipartisan infrastructure law led by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and shaped by Sen. Mark Kelly.

The city of Apache Junction will receive $44.43 million to build a flood-control facility on Weekes Wash, according to a release.

The city of Buckeye will receive $4.57 million to launch a storm water flooding mitigation improvement project, reducing and eliminating flooding problems, protecting structures and streets from floodwater, improving groundwater, and much more, it states.

“Communities like Buckeye and Apache Junction regularly experience floods that threaten the safety of Arizona businesses and families. The funds I secured in our bipartisan infrastructure law will help our state better prevent and recover from future floods so Arizona communities can have peace of mind,” Sinema, co-author and lead negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, said in the release.

“As extreme weather events become more common and more severe, we must do more to proactively protect Arizona communities. This funding will help protect Apache Junction and Buckeye so they can continue to grow and invest in their future,” Kelly said in the release.

Sinema and Kelly’s bipartisan infrastructure law allocated a historic $7 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help protect communities from natural disasters like floods.

‘Legacy project’

Apache Junction’s new flood control facility will make the community downstream safer and reduce the need for search-and-rescue operations in flooding events.

“This is a legacy project that will help generations to come in Apache Junction,” Apache Junction Mayor Chip Wilson said in the release. “This could save lives and millions in damage by holding back catastrophic floodwaters from monsoon storms. We are very grateful to Senators Sinema and Kelly for seeing the importance of this issue and helping us address a long-needed concern.”

The facility will collect floodwater, sediment and storm debris during a 100-year storm event, align with the flow path of Weekes Wash and its historical outfall by reducing the peak discharge of water and sediment, and recharge the groundwater naturally using the impounded storm water. The facility will also use nature-based solutions, including permitted surface recharge, to enhance water resource resilience and reduce reliance on the Colorado River, the release states.

Sinema led bipartisan Senate negotiations with Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio that included Sen. Kelly and senators from both parties.

The bipartisan infrastructure law was supported by groups including The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, The National Association of Manufacturers, The AFL-CIO, The National Retail Federation, The Bipartisan Policy Center, North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Outdoor Industry Association, The American Hotel and Lodging Association, The National Education Association, as well as hundreds of mayors across all 50 states.