Flooding Affects Family Farms in Ohio River Valley
Recent flooding in the Ohio River Valley has severely impacted at least 450 family farms, caused by upgrades to local dams. Reports indicate that these farmers might soon gain access to crucial support.
The $3 billion renovation of the Olmsted Locks and Dam, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2018, had unintended consequences. The renovations resulted in the flooding of around 70,000 acres of soybean farmland across Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri, turning parts of long-standing family farms into lakes.
In response, approximately 450 farmers filed lawsuits between 2018 and 2021, seeking compensation for their flooded fields and lost crops. However, the Biden administration’s Justice Department contested these claims, delaying potential financial relief.
Currently, there’s an executive order under consideration in President Trump’s West Wing aimed at ending the Justice Department’s opposition and providing assistance to the affected farmers, according to sources.
One Kentucky farmer, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, expressed the devastation: “My farm, which has been in my family for nearly 70 years, has been rendered completely useless by the Olmsted Dam.” He added, “We are praying that President Trump will come and save our farms so we can be reimbursed for past crop losses and maybe continue farming on higher ground.” He emphasized that “Farmers support Mr. Trump, and we believe Mr. Trump has our support.”
Rehabilitation on the dam, established in 1929 and located just 27 miles from the meeting point of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, began in 1988. It aimed to alleviate commercial shipping bottlenecks along the Ohio River.
Unfortunately, the Army Corps of Engineers project exceeded its timeline by 20 years and overshot its budget by $2 billion.
Regarding the ongoing lawsuits and construction errors related to the Olmsted Lock and Dam, the Army Corps of Engineers declined to comment.
Payouts to the farmers involved in the lawsuits could exceed $1 billion, with funds allocated from the Treasury Department’s judgment fund, officials stated.
