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Watershed Programs in Virginia (under construction)Purpose Watershed Programs in VirginiaThe purpose of the various water resource programs in Virginia is to assist local government sponsors, and associated private constituents, to protect, restore and enhance local watersheds. Specifically, we assist our local partners in protecting their natural resources from damage caused by floodwaters, erosion and sediment deposition. We also help them to conserve and develop their land and water resources before and after major storm events occur in order to solve natural resource and related economic problems on a watershed basis. The various watershed programs provide technical and financial assistance to project sponsors and local residents. The programs build partnerships across all relevant federal, state and local agencies, and private citizens and citizen groups. Our water resource projects serve not only flood protection and recovery needs, but many also provide municipal and industrial water supplies and provide recreation benefits. A sub-set of our watershed projects serve to protect our natural resources specifically to assure agricultural production for future generations while also protecting water quality. Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Programs
PL-534 – “The Potomac River
Basin Program” PL-534 – “The Potomac River Basin Program”The Flood Control Act of 1944, Public Law 78-534, also known as PL-534, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to work with local sponsors to install watershed improvements that provide flood protection within designated river basins. The Potomac River Basin which includes the Shenandoah River drainage area was included in PL-534. Protection under this program has been provided through the construction of dams, dikes and channel work, and to a lesser extent through the relocation, elevation, and flood-proofing of property and vital infrastructure. Modifications made to the program in the early 1980s permitted the NRCS to also provide technical and financial assistance to private land users in the installation of conservation practices on their private lands. Thus the original flood prevention focus of the program was broadened to allow for improvements that protect long-term productivity of on-farm resources and at the same time protect water quality. The installation of conservation practices on private lands within sub-watersheds or sub-basins of the Potomac River basin is also referred to as land treatment. PL-534 Dams in Virginia PL-566 – “The Small Watershed Program”The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954, Public Law 83-566, also known simply as PL-566, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to assist local units of government to provide protection from flooding during major storm events within sub-basins of identified watersheds, within our major river systems. Flood protection under this program has been provided similar to PL-534 through the construction of dams, dikes and channel work, and to a lesser extent through the relocation, elevation, and flood-proofing of property and vital infrastructure. More recent changes to this program have allowed for acquisition of conservation easements within floodplains where repetitive damages have occurred, as well as the installation of land treatment measures similar to PL-534 on individual farms and other private land holdings to protect on-site productivity and improve water quality. PL-106-472 – “The Dam Rehab. Program”The Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000, also known as the Dam Rehabilitation Program is actually an amendment to PL-566 authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance to owners of public dams installed previously under PL-566, PL-534, the RC&D Program and the Pilot Watershed Program. This program was created in view of the more than 11,000 aging dams built across the country since 1948 with a growing number in need of rehabilitation to maintain the multiple benefits they provide. Dam Rehabilitation: In Virginia, 150 dams have become part of the state’s landscape/infrastructure through the PL-566, PL-534, and Pilot Watershed programs. Approximately one-third of these dams need repairs that, if not corrected, could result in significant adverse environmental, economic, and social impacts. The dams were built to protect agricultural lands and small communities from the devastating effects of flooding. In addition, many have also provided local communities with water supply and recreational opportunities. All of these dams have provided wildlife habitat and they have enhanced our aquatic resources by protecting water quality. However, human health and safety concerns now exist downstream of 17 dams as a result of residential and commercial development that has occurred in the downstream floodplains. Detailed studies have been conducted for five dams in Virginia (Marrowbone Dam in Henry County, Inch Branch, Robinson Hollow and Toms Branch in Augusta County and Royal Lake in Fairfax County). Construction was completed on the Marrowbone Creek dam in 2005 at a cost of $2.6 million. The construction of Robinson Hollow will be completed in 2007. Inch Branch and Royal Lake will be constructed in 2008. The design of Toms Branch will be completed in 2008 and construction will follow soon thereafter. The cost of rehabilitation varies for each site depending on the alternative selected. Additional planning is underway for two sites in Fairfax County (Lake Barton and Woodglen Lake). These two plans should be completed by December 2007. Requests for planning assistance have been received on 1 more site in the Pohick Creek Watershed in Fairfax County, 4 dams in the Johns Creek Watershed in Craig County, 4 dams in the South River Watershed in Augusta County, 1 dam in the Upper North River Watershed in Augusta County, and 1 dam in the Stony Creek Watershed in Shenandoah County. Additional requests are expected for 3 dams in the Leatherwood Creek Watershed in Henry County and one dam in the Upper Blackwater River Watershed in Franklin County. Site assessments and dam rehabilitation studies are needed on these dams to determine the extent to which homes and businesses could be in harm's way. Once the technical studies are completed, decisions regarding rehabilitation are made by the local sponsors and NRCS, and corrective actions are then implemented. Watershed PlanningIn order to implement watershed projects in Virginia, our technical assistance professionals must work with our local sponsors to identify and evaluate all relevant issues within the context of federal, state and local legislation and policy that guide the water resource planning process. The overall process of planning and providing technical and financial assistance is guided by Congressional mandates intended to assure that such assistance is provided only: · Where there is local leadership and decision making, typically led by a local watershed steering committee with local government sponsorship and with full public participation by all affected individuals and parties; and
· Within guidance provided through the National Watershed Manual (NWSM), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines (P&G). NEPA requires that environmental considerations be central to any federal investment that alters the landscape and our natural resources. NHPA requires that historic preservation (cultural and historic resources) be considered, and appropriately dealt with, whenever federal funds result in physical changes on the landscape. P&G, like NEPA, addresses environmental evaluation procedures and also requires that the economic and social costs and benefits of any federal action be duly identified, accounted for, and used to contribute to the public investment decision making process. Therefore, watershed planning, including dam rehabilitation, supported by the NRCS requires all parties involved to conduct planning and evaluation in view of identified social, economic, historic and environmental considerations. The end objective of this process is to only provide federal funds to projects that are technically and environmentally sound, socially acceptable, economically justified, and supported by grass-roots democratic processes. Congress deemed these considerations necessary precisely because we know that projects such as dams serve to provide many valued benefits, but they can also have negative effects on the environment. Learn more about watershed planning (a hyper link). Watershed Planning Products
Rapid Watershed AssessmentsThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging the development of rapid watershed assessments in order to increase the speed and efficiency generating information to guide conservation implementation, as well as the speed and efficiency of putting it into the hands of local decision makers. NRCS in Virginia contracted in 2006 with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to conduct a rapid watershed assessment of the South Fork Shenandoah River. That assessment was completed in February 2008. A multi-state rapid watershed assessment was completed by NRCS staff in West Virginia and Virginia on the North Fork Shenandoah River. That assessment was completed in July 2008. A similar assessment will be completed by NRCS staff in West Virginia and Virginia on the Lower Shenandoah River Watershed. That assessment will be completed by June 2009. More information on rapid watershed assessments is available on the NRCS national website at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/rwa/ Flood Recovery Programs:
Emergency Watershed
Protection (EWP) Sub-sections of PL-81-516 and PL-95-334 - "EWP"Section 216, P.L.81-516 (as amended) notes that "The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to undertake emergency measures, including the purchase of floodplain easements, for runoff retardation and soil erosion prevention, in cooperation with landowners and land users, as the Secretary deems necessary to safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire, flood, or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden impairment of that watershed." Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)The purpose of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program is to undertake emergency measures to help local residents and sponsors recover from natural disasters. It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for EWP assistance; state-declared emergencies will suffice. Through EWP the NRCS assists sponsors and individuals in implementing emergency measures to relieve imminent hazards to life and property created by natural disasters. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams in order to re-establish channel capacity, protect destabilized stream-banks and adjacent roads and bridges, establish cover on critically eroding lands, repairing conservation practices, and the purchase of flood plain easements. In 2005, NRCS in Virginia assisted the following localities with EWP projects: Augusta County, Alleghany County, Bath County, Greene County, Highland County, Madison County, Page County, Patrick County, Rockingham County, Rockbridge County, the Town of Damascus, and the City of Chesapeake. Financial assistance funds total about $2 million for Hurricane Isabel, Hurricane Jeanne, the flood of November 2003 and the flood of January 2005. Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)The Emergency Conservation Program is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and it provides technical and financial assistance to local farmers after a declared emergency from flood, fire or drought has been declared by either the President or the Governor. The purpose of the program is to assist farmers to recover from the effects of natural disasters on their farms. Learn more about ECP by contacting your local USDA Farm Service Agency Office. Annual Water Resources Progress ReportVirginia Water Resources Progress Report 2004 Project Fact Sheets
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Bush River
Watershed Project
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