NRCS Provides Drinking Water for Randolph County, West Virginia

Most Americans take drinking water for granted -- turn on the faucet and water flows out. But residents in West Virginia’s southern Randolph County who haven’t had a reliable source of drinking water, will soon have a clean, abundant, and safe water when the NRCS Public Law-566 Elkwater Fork Dam project goes “on-line” to serve 21,500 residents in the Upper Tygarts Valley River Watershed.

This is a unique project to NRCS in West Virginia utilizing roller-compacted concrete to provide the 54-acre water supply impoundment.  While most West Virginia dams provide flood protection, the Elkwater Fork Dam’s primary purpose is water supply.

The project planning began after a 1993 drought. A town in Randolph County requested NRCS assistance in identifying an alternate water supply source.  In 1995, NRCS received authorization and funding to initiate a study to identify and address natural resource problems common to all the affected communities.  In 2001, NRCS completed the watershed plan and environmental impact statement. A design for the water supply dam was completed by Architect-Engineer contract administered by West Virginia NRCS.

Federal, State, and local partners worked together for funding. Federal sources provided $23 million (75 percent) for the project through the NRCS PL 566 program.  State and local partners provided $8 million (25 percent) and acquired the land needed for the project.  West Virginia NRCS was responsible for contract administration and quality assurance.  The construction phase of $32 million dam contract, the largest ever administered by NRCS, was completed in 2008.
Your contact is NRCS public affairs specialist Carol Lagodich at 304-284-4826.