The levees of the Rio Grande will be raised to provide adequate protection from floods. It's a project initiated by the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission.

The improvements will be made to prevent the Rio Grande from overflowing again. The 2006 floods that started in August caused the Rio Grande to swell, breaking its banks and threatening nearby homes and businesses.

"I think it's a good idea that they're going to do that so the floods don't happen anymore," said Oscar Leyva, a Central El Paso resident.

"My mother-in-law lives here in a street in the corner and it's real close," said Martha Reyna from the Lower Valley.

Reyna said the 2006 floods made some of her family members consider moving.

"They were afraid the water is going to go to where their house is and going to destroy what they have now," said Reyna.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is currently developing flood insurance rate maps for El Paso County to identify properties at risk of flooding. Right now, the levees are inadequate and need to be raised by three feet. Property owners may be required to purchase flood insurance. But once the levee-raising project is completed, property owners in adjacent areas are expected to be exempt.

"We want to help the community in saying that our levees are at the appropriate alleviation, structurally sound and that we can assure that those levees will not fail if we have another 100-year flood.," said Commissioner Carlos Marin with the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission.

And for a lot of El Pasoans, it means one less thing to worry about.

"If they fix it and we don't have to get flood insurance, that's great," said Leyva.

The cost of the levee project is $1 million, which will come from the International Boundary and Water commission.

The agency was able to shift some money from other projects to the levee project in order to start with the first 7.4 miles of river immediately. It is expected to take three to four months to be completed.

Also, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, announced today $650,000 will be set aside for sediment removal along the concrete-lined Chamizal Channel.