AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $84.8 MILLION FOR VITAL WATERSHED PROJECTS
Recovery Act Assistance Will Help Rural Communities
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the USDA will be sending $84.8 million to state and local governments to improve water quality, increase water supply, decrease soil erosion, and improve fish and wildlife habitat in rural communities as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.
"President Obama is committed to improving water quality, creating more dependable water supplies and decreasing soil erosion and this funding will make a big difference in the lives of the people who live in these rural communities," Vilsack said.
Other major benefits include improved community safety and health, flood mitigation, sediment control, and enhanced fish and wildlife habitat.
"For example," Vilsack said "the Neshaminy Creek Watershed (Pennsylvania) project funding will be used to acquire, elevate and flood-protect approximately 80 homes and businesses in the 100-year flood plain, while the Beaver Creek (Colorado) Watershed project will develop 45 land-treatment contracts with family-owned farms, resulting in significant water quality improvement, water conservation, and enhancement of scarce wildlife habitat."
ARRA funds will be used to develop conservation measures such as planting vegetative cover and creating shallow water ponds to improve wildlife habitat, improving irrigation efficiency and conserving water, installing filter strips and soil erosion control practices, flood proofing homes and enhancing stream corridor and floodplain function, and constructing small flood control dams.
USDA is directing technical and financial assistance available through this funding toward projects that are ready to begin and that will relieve stress on local economies through the creation of over 1,400 jobs.
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has worked closely with sponsors to identify projects that are ready for immediate implementation.
Location
Project
Funding
Arkansas
Upper Petit Jean
134,000
California
Stemple Creek
275,000
California
Lower Silver Creek
10,000,000
Colorado
Beaver Creek
2,500,000
Colorado
Highline Breaks
629,000
Colorado
Holbrook Lake Ditch
185,000
Colorado
Limestone-Graveyard Creeks
187,000
Colorado
Trinidad Lake North
79,000
Iowa
Mill Creek
57,500
Iowa
Hacklebarney
161,000
Iowa
East Fork of The Grand River
1,258,250
Idaho
Southern Washington County Water Quality Project
430,000
Kansas
Big Caney
214,000
Kentucky
Fox Creek
4,092,880
Louisiana
Bayou Duralde-Lower Nezpique
1,270,000
Louisiana
Red Bayou
3,200,000
Minnesota
Whitewater River
299,000
Minnesota
Kanaranzi-Little Rock
245,000
Missouri
East Yellow Creek
420,000
Missouri
West Fork of Big Creek
950,000
Missouri
Upper Locust Creek
1,730,000
Missouri
Big Creek-Hurricane Creek
950,000
Missouri
East Fork of Big Creek
850,000
Montana
Buffalo Rapids
281,000
Nebraska
Blackwood Creek
2,000,000
New York
New York City Watersheds
1,000,000
North Carolina
Swan Quarter Watershed
5,280,858
Oklahoma
Upper Red Rock Creek
60,000
Oklahoma
Stillwater Creek
40,000
Oklahoma
Turkey Creek
1,670,000
Pennsylvania
Tulpehocken Creek
1,375,000
Pennsylvania
Red-White Clay Creeks
430,000
Pennsylvania
Brandywine Creek
20,000
Pennsylvania
Neshaminy Creek
10,075,000
Northern Marianas (Saipan)
Kagman
4,150,000
Texas
Elm Creek (Cen-Tex)
746,000
Texas
Caney Creek
399,000
Texas
Trinity - Big Sandy Creek
369,000
Texas
Lower Brushy Creek
2,502,000
Texas
Plum Creek
1,335,000
Texas
Trinity - Little Elm & Laterals
1,508,000
Texas
Trinity - Chambers Creek
8,558,000
Texas
Trinity - East Fork Above Lavon
666,000
Texas
Trinity - Hickory Creek
658,000
Texas
Trinity - Pilot Grove
744,000
Texas
Trinity - Richland Creek
3,125,000
Texas
Upper Brushy Creek
930,000
Virginia
Little Reed Island Creek
225,300
Virginia
Chestnut Creek
367,700
Virginia
North Fork Powell River
380,000
Washington
Omak Creek
625,000
West Virginia
Upper Deckers Creek
2,100,000
West Virginia
Upper Tygart
3,025,000
Total
84,761,488
Funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is part of the Obama Administration's plans to modernize the nation's infrastructure, jumpstart the economy and create jobs. For more information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, visit www.recovery.gov.
To learn more about your eligibility for USDA projects underway through the Recovery Act, go to www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome.