The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that it will award Virginia over $32 million in contracts and grants from the economic recovery package for a number of water resource projects throughout the state.  An additional $9 million in loans was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for six projects in Southwest Virginia.

The projects are designed to maintain navigation channels and restore water depth through dredging, clean up water quality to uphold environmental standards and replace structural and safety mechanisms on bridges and waterways. 

Selection criteria required that projects be executed quickly and result in high, immediate employment. Funding is dedicated to complete an ongoing project or an element/phase of an ongoing project.

Here is a breakdown of the projects:

SOUTHWEST

John W Flannagan Dam and Reservoir

• $289,000 grant from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to maintain recreational facilities and provide additional water safety ranger staff to reduce the risk of failure and risk to the public.
• $3,000 grant from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to maintain healthy natural and cultural resources of dam and minimize adverse environmental impacts. 
• $300,000 grant from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to upgrade/pave access road to reduce future maintenance costs.

North Fork of Pound River Lake

• $54,000 grant from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to maintain recreational facilities and provide additional water safety ranger staff to reduce the risk of failure and risk to the public.

Carroll County Public Service Authority, Water and Waste Disposal

• $5,000,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and
• $1,218,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend public water service to the northern area of the County and connect the distribution system to a new water source.  Not only will water service be improved for existing customers, but this extension will serve new residents who have severe quality and quantity problems with their existing groundwater supply. Construction includes 14" and smaller water lines, two booster pump stations, one water storage tank, and approximately 300 new connections. 

Town of Rural Retreat, Water and Waste Disposal

• $734,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to replace deteriorating, undersized, and leaking water lines.  Water lines, fire hydrants, and related appurtenances inside the Town’s limits will be installed.  This project will improve accountability for the entire system and improve flow and pressure to approximately 630 residential and 30 commercial users.

City of Norton, Water and Waste Disposal

• $2,160,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• $1,000,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to complete improvements to the emergency spillway at the Upper Norton Reservoir.  These improvements will enable the spillway to accommodate the resulting load of a probable maximum flood. This project will protect the City of Norton's raw water source for the public water system, as well as provide needed safety upgrades at the reservoir to protect citizens’ lives in the event of a flood.

Wythe County, Water and Waste Disposal

• $1,065,000 loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be used to install approximately 3 miles of water line with related appurtenances.  The residents in the Route 619 area of the County are currently served by private wells, cisterns, etc., which are contaminated and failing.  This project will supply clean drinking water to approximately 55 residential homes. 

 

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SOUTHSIDE

John H. Kerr Reservoir and Lake -- Total: $7,250,000

• $1,500,000 to perform shoreline stabilization and land acquisition of highly eroded areas. The John H. Kerr shoreline is suffering from severe erosion and some areas of the reservoir have eroded onto private property. The contract will ensure availability of flood pool storage and prevent additional loss of public lands and private property.
• $200,000 to hire additional temporary ranger employees and term employees to provide additional visitor assistance during the peak recreation season, which will improve public safety and security for the visiting public.
• $750,000 to rehabilitate recreation and campground facilities at North Bend Park inclusive of campsites, roadways and restrooms. Contract will repair deteriorated public park facilities and correct non-compliance with modern design standards inclusive of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Activity will also reduce future maintenance costs. 
• $1,000,000 to repave entrance roads and parking lots for 4 recreation areas. Contract will repair deteriorated park roadways, improve and maintain access and ensure safe entrance and exit from the facility. 
• $400,000 to update master plan and shoreline management plan which was last updated in 1980. Contract will initiate revisions to comprehensive planning documents that guide limited development and land use allocations on over 50 thousand acres of public lands. Will provide funding to conduct necessary NEPA documentation and current opportunity for public input into the planning process. 
• $2,100,000 to conduct characterization and remediation of hazardous waste sites. Contract will thoroughly evaluate extent of environmental contamination and provide necessary remediation to known DDT and dioxin sites at John H. Kerr Reservoir improving environmental health and employee safety in operational areas. 
• $1,200,000 to rehabilitate recreational and campground facilities at North Bend Park. This activity will provide additional funds for continued renovations at the Wilmington districts largest Corps-operated recreation area. Contract will repair deteriorated park facilities and correct non-compliance with modern design standards and the American with Disabilities Act. 
• $100,000 to update natural and cultural resources data for geographic information system (GIS) database including level one inventory data. Contract will provide critical data to enhance Corps and state partner management of natural resources of nearly 50,000 acres of public lands.

Philpott Reservoir and Lake -- Total: $3,750,000

• $150,000 to develop plans & specifications using architectural and engineering services contract to replace critical equipment the powerhouse headgate machinery and controls supporting a 14,000 kilowatts powerhouse.
• $300,000 to prepare plans & specifications using archeological and engineering services contract for the rewind of electric generators and replace the hydraulic turbines to increase capacity at the 14,000 kilowatts powerhouse.
• $150,000 to hire additional temporary ranger employees and term employees to provide additional visitor assistance during the peak recreation season, which will improve public safety and security.
• $200,000 to develop plans and to repair the 50 ton overhead bridge crane in powerhouse supporting a 14,000 kilowatts powerhouse and preventing failure of the dam. The plant goal is to maintain 90% availability of operation without a major failure of equipment. 
• $750,000 to repair recreational facilities at Horseshoe Point and Salt House Branch Parks. This activity will repair deteriorated public park facilities and correct non-compliance with modern design standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act, increasing visitor satisfaction and reducing future maintenance costs. 
• $1,000,000 to repair a bridge crane that has failed once and reached end of life for critical lifts. Contract to rebuild crane controls, motors, and cables supporting a 14,000 kilowatts powerhouse. 
• $1,200,000 to construct sewer line to connect Philpott Park to Henry County system. Contract will connect administrative public recreation facilities and powerhouse to municipal sewer, eliminating the need for maintenance of 50 year plus septic systems.

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TIDEWATER

Virginia Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway -- Total: $1,250,000

• $375,000 contract to include replacing or refurbishing traffic control gates, lights, conduit, controls, and cables, and provide traffic detours during construction to the North Landing Bridge.
• $875,000 contract to include replacing or refurbishing bridge grid and structures, design work, and provide traffic detours during construction to the North Landing Bridge.

Norfolk Harbor -- Total: $10,173,000

• $123,000 contract to support increased patrols and removal of floating debris within the Norfolk Harbor and tributaries to preclude debris collisions with hulls and critical appendages and possible sinking of military, commercial and pleasure vessels.
• $3,000,000 to raise dikes at Craney Island to provide capacity for additional dredged material inflows required during the coming months to contain for existing maintenance needs.
• $1,000,000 for sediment testing for EPA compliance at Dam Neck Ocean Dredged Material Site. 
• $130,000 contract to install safety rails and repair the Fort Norfolk seawall. 
• $150,000 contract to repair storm damage to the Craney Island project office including roofing, siding, and HVAC.
• $510,000 contract to replace the Craney Island Rehandling Basin bulkhead. Craney Island Dredged Material Mgmt. Area, part of the Norfolk Harbor project, is a 2,500 acre facility serving the Hampton Roads region.
• $950,000 contract to accomplish an environmental compliance initiative at Craney Island. 
• $2,280,000 contract to replace spillway #3 at Craney Island. 
• $2,030,000 contract to construct Breakwaters on the west shoreline of the Craney Island disposal facility to prevent continued erosion and improve water quality.

Broad Creek (Middlesex County, VA)

• $670,000 contract to dredge the channel and restore the 7’ maintenance depth, including earthwork activities to prepare the upland disposal site for dredged material, and actual dredging and material placement at the site.

Chincoteague Bay Channel (Chincoteague, VA)

• $328,000 to dredge the navigation channel and harbor to restore the authorized 5-ft depth of this harbor of refuge used by the area commercial fishing industry.

Gathright Dam and Lake Moomaw

• $285,000 to repair the roof for various support facilities and updating the water control manual on this 1100 ft long dam and reservoir project.

Greenvale Creek (Lancaster County, VA)

• $450,000 to dredge the navigation channel and restore the authorized 6’ maintenance depth to improve safety and restore channel and public access point for struggling businesses.

Hampton Creek (Hampton, VA)

• $868,000 to dredge critical shoals in the channel and harbor to restore the 12-ft depth for barges and large commercial fishing vessels having difficulty navigating the congested project.

Hoskins Creek (Essex County, VA)

• $1,093,000 to dredge the channel to restore the 10-ft. project depth; work will include preparing the upland dredged material site.

James River Channel

• $3,000,000 to perform maintenance dredging within shoaled areas of the channel at Tribell Shoal and Richmond Deepwater Terminal-Hopewell Channels. The channel is used by ships bound for Richmond Deepwater Terminal and serves container vessel traffic, avoiding the need for containers to be transported on I-64, reducing safety, food, and fuel costs.

Lynnhaven Inlet

• $517,000 to perform full maintenance dredging within the most critically shoaled areas of the channel.

Pagan River

• $900,000 to dredge the channel and restore the 6’ maintenance depth serving the town of Smithfield and used as a harbor of refuge and base of operations for Smithfield Police for search and rescue.

Queens Creek (Mathews County, VA)

• $447,000 contract to maintenance dredge critical shoals within the channel to a depth of 6 ft. and restore safe navigation. Queens Creek provides navigation and safe harbor for commercial fishing and tour boats. The Coast Guard frequently sends patrols through the channel on Search and Rescue operations for boaters whose destination was Queens Creek.

Winter Harbor (Mathews County, VA)

• $1,190,000 contract to dredge the channel to restore project depth and restore safe navigation.