Elkhorn Creek Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Southern W.Va To Benefit From Federal Flood Protection Funds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tuesday said it will commit $2,817,600 to help reduce flood risks throughout the Elkhorn Creek and Tug Fork River Watershed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tuesday said it will commit $2,817,600 to help reduce flood risks for communities throughout the Elkhorn Creek and Tug Fork River Watershed.

Elkhorn Creek is a 23.7-mile-long (38.1 km) tributary of the Tug Fork, belonging to the Ohio River and Mississippi River watersheds. It is located in McDowell and Mercer counties.

The portion of the Tug Fork watershed that lies within West Virginia drains lands in McDowell, Mingo, and Wayne counties, encompassing a 932 square mile area.

In recent years the state has been hit hard by serious flooding including dangerous flash floods that have resulted in the loss of life and property.

In July, Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for McDowell County after floods damaged more than 75 homes, 12 bridges and multiple roads.

U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the USDA funding will bolster flood protection and increase the safety of the county’s residents.

The money, through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will be used to support the voluntary buyout, demolition and restoration of about 30 properties to restore natural floodplain conditions.

The West Virginia Flood Tool (WVFT) examined flood damage to 128 homes and buildings before recommending the buyout as the most cost effective solution.

The flood tool is an interactive web map application developed by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. It provides public and official access to flood data about the degree of risk for an area or property.

Residents in the Elkhorn Creek/Tug Fork River Watershed are considered at higher risk of flood damage due to the concentration of real estate development in the floodplain.

McDowell Residents Closer to Safe Water

Residents in several McDowell County communities are one step closer to safe, public water. The Elkhorn Regional Water Project will replace two water systems that date back about 70 or 80 years.

Work began in late June to replace the Elkhorn and Maybeurry water systems. These communities as well as Switchback are included in Phase One.

“There’s a crumbling decaying almost nonexistent water system in the area,” Elden Green Assistant Director of the McDowell County Public Service District said. “Not even all of our customers or households have a water system. Some have springs or well.”

Green says several of the systems were built, then left by coal companies.

The aging, leaky Elkhorn water tower that sits along Route 52 will soon go out of commission.

The Elkhorn Regional Water Project has been in the works for several years. It was further delayed when the federal government halted Abandoned Mine Land funding to review the applications.

Abandoned Mine Land money comes from a fund created by a tax on coal companies. The money is used to reclaim and fix damage left from previous mining activity.

Congressman Nick Rahall says he met with officials earlier this year about the funding. Rahall attended the groundbreaking ceremony in Kimball.

“So we’ve been able to break some of these projects loose and get clean water and replace old systems in many cases so our people can have what many in the big city take for granted,” Rahall said, “that’s clean drinkable accessible water.”

Phase One in Elkhorn is also funded by a grant and loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

The project continues down Route 52 with two more phases. It’s three of several plans to bring safe water to communities throughout the county.

Green says, six years ago the McDowell PSD had about 500 customers, now he’s proud to say there are more than 3-thousand and several other projects are in the works. The Big Sandy Roderfield Extension will bring clean water to his own home.

“Personally right now I have deep well and pump,” Green said,”the water’s not the greatest but we’re thankful for it.”

“I have a water treatment system personally that’s salt based, and they say over the long term that’s not good but we’re thankful for what we have.”

Phase one of the Elkhorn Regional Water Project will bring clean water to 200 homes. Green says the PSD plans to pay back the loan within 30 years meaning water bills could increase about $30 a month. Phase One is expected to be complete in Spring of 2015.

Train Derails in McDowell Co.; Tanker Car Lands in Creek

Officer McCoy with Kimball Police Department say 17 cars derailed around 8:30 Friday morning.

KIMBALL, W.Va. (AP) — Hazardous material crews are cleaning up following a trail derailment.

Officials say at least 16 cars of the Norfolk Southern train derailed around 8:30 a.m. Friday in an area of McDowell County along U.S. Route 52. No evacuations were ordered and there were no injuries.

The train has five locomotives and 111 cars and is about 7,000 feet long. It was headed from Bellevue, Ohio to Linwood, N.C.

State emergency officials say booms are in place to prevent the tar leaking from a ruptured tanker car from going any farther down into Elkhorn Creek.

About 700 feet of track was damaged in the derailment and will have to be replaced. Norfolk Southern expects train traffic to reopen Saturday afternoon.