SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A $1.2 million federal project to upgrade a concrete installation in the Smoky Hill River will help ensure that a section of the river will flow into Salina’s water supply.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project is paid by federal tax dollars. The Salina Journal reports the installation is essentially a concrete wall in the river that facilitates diverting water from the channel and takes it to the water treatment plant.

About half Salina’s water is supplied by the river. The remainder comes from wells.

High water in the Smoky Hill River in 2013 caused a portion of the project structure to break away, reducing the amount of water diverted to the city.

Officials say the new structure will have a 50-year design life.