U.S. Senator Katie Britt Directly Secures Over $2.6 Million for the City of Birmingham’s Village Creek Floodplain Restoration

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security Appropriations, recently directly secured $2.645 million for the City of Birmingham in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This funding will support floodplain restoration at Birmingham's Village Creek, which has suffered flooding events for more than 50 years.

A portion of Village Creek

Village Creek-within the Black Warrior River watershed, the largest urban watershed in Alabama-runs 44 miles through the city of Birmingham and Jefferson County. The Village Creek floodplain constitutes 53 percent of Birmingham's Special Flood Hazard Area, with water levels capable of rising at a rate of three feet per hour. Neighborhoods, commercial buildings, and critical facilities along the creek are at a high risk of flooding, with properties sometimes flooding several times per year. Since 1970, flooding has caused more than 17 federally declared disasters, tens of millions of dollars have been spent on flood recovery, and more than 30,000 structures have been impacted.

"For decades, the City of Birmingham has worked to restore the Village Creek floodplain and implement a long-term solution to flooding. The more than $2.6 million I secured in FY26 Homeland Appropriations funding will significantly advance these efforts, particularly by reducing flooding during major storm events in Ensley and ensure residents and their communities remain safe. This funding is a critical and commonsense investment in floodplain restoration to mitigate storm damage, strengthen local infrastructure resilience, and improve the quality of life for Alabamians in the floodplain area for generations to come," said Senator Britt.

The funding secured by Senator Britt will advance ongoing efforts to restore the Village Creek floodplain, reduce volume of stormwater flow into the creek, and reduce flooding in surrounding communities, including Ensley where its neighborhoods have dealt with flooding for decades. Additionally, it will improve transportation, remove flooding risks to motorists, and improve access to businesses throughout the area.

"Every investment in flood mitigation is an investment in our neighborhoods, our families, and Birmingham's future. This funding for the Village Creek Stormwater Park Floodplain Restoration project will help us build a more resilient city while creating environmental and recreational benefits for generations to come. We appreciate the support of our congressional delegation, and I especially want to thank Senator Katie Britt for her efforts to help secure these resources for Birmingham. Partnerships like these make a real difference for our residents," said City of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.

In total, Senator Britt directly secured more than $14.97 million for Alabama in FY26 Homeland Security appropriations funding.

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