By Christian Giggenbach
LEWISBURG — The Greenbrier County Commission on Tuesday verbally threw its support behind a Nicholas County lake and dam project that has the potential of solving flooding problems along the Cherry River while also creating economic development.
Nicholas County Commissioner Spurgeon “Jinks” Hinkle and retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Kelly asked the commission to support a resolution backing the county’s South Fork Lake project, which has been in the works for nearly four years.
Kelly, who chairs the South Fork Lake Committee, gave the commissioners a brief history and update of the project, which currently is being studied by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. One of the flood mitigation plans calls for a lake and dam to be built on the South Fork of the Cherry River, about 6 miles upstream from Richwood. The project is nearing the federal dollars needed to complete a reconnaissance study of the Cherry River basin.
“Funding for the study was included in the congressional budgets of 2006 and 2007 which totaled $196,000,” Kelly said. “Currently, Rep. Nick Rahall has earmarked $60,000 for fiscal year 2008, but that hasn’t been passed by Congress yet.”
Kelly said the corps is using computerized “pictometry,” which uses satellite and computer data to superimpose over a 100-year flood plain for the basin to calculate flood damage. In 2003, flooding along the river damaged or destroyed nearly 400 homes and businesses in the Richwood area.
Kelly said a July 10 meeting between corps headquarters officials and district officials “OK’d the procedures and methods the district was using to execute the study.” If the recon study is successful, a feasibility study costing $2 million would be next, he said.
While several solutions to the flooding are being proffered by officials, such as flood walls, green spacing and dredging, a lake and dam would provide economic opportunities for both Greenbrier and Nicholas counties, Hinkle told the commissioners. Private homes, a possible hydro-electric plant and tourist-related activities would affect Greenbrier County because a majority of the project would be located in its boundaries, he said.
“Dredging the Cherry River would not solve its flood problems; I know this first-hand,” Hinkle said. “This could be a win-win for Greenbrier County if this happens. Homes on the lake mean dollars signs for Greenbrier. Please, we need you involved and it will take political clout to get this through. We need Greenbrier on board and we ask that you strongly consider a resolution of support. Almost all of it will be located in Greenbrier County.”
Commission president Lowell Rose verbally gave his approval and there were no immediate objections from Commissioners Brad Tuckwiller or Betty Crookshanks. Rose said a resolution supporting the project will be presented for a vote at the next meeting.
Tuckwiller then asked Hinkle if the famous Cherry River Navy was still in force, to which Hinkle gave a hearty chuckle.
“Bob Smith (who is 87 years old) has been slowing down as of late as the (commanding) admiral of the Cherry River Navy,” Hinkle said. “But I believe the Navy is still intact.”
