U.S. Sen. Manchin Announces Watershed Management Projects Funded
for 4 WV Communities
The State Journal
18 July 2014
By Mandi Cardosi, Government Reporter
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced July 18 watershed
management projects in four West Virginia communities will receive
about $14 million from the United States Department of
Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.
West Virginia projects awarded funding include: Upper Deckers
Creek Site 1 (Preston County) — $10,250,000 Brush Creek Site 14
(Mercer County) — $2,476,728 New Creek Site 14 (Grant County) —
$1,000,000 Wheeling Creek Site 25 (Marshall County) — $473,371.
Manchin said the management projects will get a total of
$14,200,099 through the USDA NRCS assistance program for planning,
design and/or construction of watershed structures. The funds will
be used to make critical improvements to dams and watershed
structures that protect public health and safety.
“Our watershed structures and dams are an important line of
protection to our communities—protecting our families and homes
from floods, keeping our water supplies clean and providing
reliable infrastructure,” Manchin said in a news release. “Not
only do these funds directly support local communities struggling
to address aging infrastructure, but the rehabilitation of our
waterways also creates construction jobs and invests in local
service and support industries.”
Through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service assistance
program, local communities across the nation have constructed over
11,000 dams in 47 states, including West Virginia. Many of these
dams are nearing the end of their 50-year design life; therefore,
rehabilitation of these dams is needed to address public health
and safety.