Flood Control Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere, Jr.
WESTFIELD – A public hearing on Westfield’s accepted application for federal assistance to rehabilitate Powdermill Brook Flood Control Dam will be Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers.
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will have a representative present to answer questions on the project.
Under the Resource Conservation & Development program, technical assistance is provided for the planning, design and work necessary for extending the service life of a dam. Financial assistance for implementing the work of improvement is provided by cost sharing, with federal funds available for up to 65% of the total rehabilitation project cost.
Watershed rehab projects may include reconstruction or decommissioning of the dam, and relocation or floodproofing of downstream property and infrastructure.
Total rehab project costs include land acquisition, easements, construction, and non-federal technical assistance and project administration. The cost of technical assistance by the NRCS is not considered part of the total rehab project cost.
Sponsoring local organizations are responsible for the cost of all water, mineral and other resource rights and permits, which are not part of the total rehab project cost.
Public participation and questions will be a part of the public hearing on Wednesday,.
The NRCS also held a well-attended public hearing last November on a similar assessment process for the Arm Brook Dam.
“Dams exist to protect residents,” said Flood Control Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere, Jr. before the Arm Brook Dam hearing last year, adding that they also keep down the cost of national flood insurance for residents and businesses, which could be impacted if they are not kept up to standard.
