The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

July 30, 2009

W.Va. up for $120 million in flood control funding

Flood-prone West Virginia is line to collect $120 million, most of it targeted for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in control and prevention projects under the new energy and water development appropriations bills, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., said Thursday.

Byrd said the investment is bound to “reap dividends countless times over” in saving lives, lowering property losses and keeping communities intact.

“I am also particularly pleased that President Obama included $86.7 million in his budget request to the Congress for the Bluestone Dam safety project in Hinton,” he said.

“This funding, which was also approved by the Senate with my strong support, will help to address the critically needed stabilization of this half century-old structure.”

Flood control and prevention projects included in the bill:

McDowell County Tug Fork — $2.75 million to continue work associated with flood proofing or relocation of residential or commercial structures within the 100-year flood plain or were impacted by the floods of 1977, 2001 and 2002.

Bluestone Dam — $86.7 million for the stabilization of the Hinton dam which doesn’t meet existing safety standards. Byrd said the intent is to keep out of harm’s way more than 115,000 residents and property worth an estimated $6.5 billion.

Marlinton — $1.5 million to continue development of a flood control project that entails a series of levees and floodwalls on the Greenbrier River at Marlinton. Major floods in 1985 and two in 1996 caused extensive damage to river basin, including the town of Marlinton. Once completed, the project is designed to provide a 350-year level of protection to Marlinton.

Cherry River — $600,000 to develop a feasibility study on options and costs of flood control with the Cherry River basin near Richwood. Severe floods occurred in 1954, the mid-1960s, 1980s, July 2001, two in November 2003 and in March 2007.

Upper Guyandotte River — $300,000 to initiate a feasibility study to evaluate options for flood control. A flood in 2001 resulted in two deaths and millions of dollars in property losses.

Statewide flood warning system — more than $1.5 million to install stream gauges and upgrading of existing ones across the state. Such devices make up an integrated statewide flood warning system that would provide real-time rainfall and stream flow data sent directly by satellite to the National Weather Service and the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services.

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