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The U.S. Department of Agriculture selected three watershed areas, Conewago Creek in Pennsylvania (pictured), Smith Creek in Virginia, and Upper Chester River in Maryland as part of the Chesapeake Showcase Watershed Project. The watershed project will utilize the collective energies of Federal, State, and local partners to help landowners and communities use their land in sustainable ways that do not harm water quality. If these watersheds are successfully restored they may become models for the six states

Rock Creek Site 12 Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment

About the Project

Who's involved?
USDA's FPAC Under Secretary Robert Bonnie in Central Oregon, Friday, July 29, 2022 visiting two watershed projects with Senator Jeff Merkley, NRCS Oregon's State Conservationist Ron Alvarado and Farmers Conservation Alliance partners. USDA photo .

The Murray County Conservation District and United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Oklahoma are developing the Rock Creek Site 12 Watershed Project.

What's Happening?
USDA's FPAC Under Secretary Robert Bonnie in Central Oregon, Friday, July 29, 2022 visiting two watershed projects with Senator Jeff Merkley, NRCS Oregon's State Conservationist Ron Alvarado and Farmers Conservation Alliance partners. USDA photo .

The agency is studying the alternatives to improve the Rock Creek Site 12 Dam in Murray County and the impact the improvements may have on the environment and the community.

Why?
Flooding and water damage in the Park and Tongue River Watersheds located in Cavalier, Pembina and Cavalaier Counties in ND on Thursday, May 23, 2013. USDA photo by Keith Weston.

The dam, originally built in 1961 to help protect against flooding, is no longer up to the performance or safety standards required by the state and NRCS. The plan is intended to study how to best remedy that situation.

Why?
USDA's FPAC Under Secretary Robert Bonnie in Central Oregon, Friday, July 29, 2022 visiting two watershed projects with Senator Jeff Merkley, NRCS Oregon's State Conservationist Ron Alvarado and Farmers Conservation Alliance partners. USDA photo .

The first public meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the USDA-NRCS Murray County Field Office (3490 HWY 7 W) in Sulphur. The meeting will be formatted as an open house; therefore, the public is welcome to stop by anytime during its two-hour timeframe. No formal presentations will be given.  Alternative solutions will be developed based on that input. They will be available for public comment and consideration afterward. The final preferred proposed alternative and the entire plan and environmental document will then  be available for public comment.

Where?
Map of Rock Creek 10
Rock Creek site 12 Preliminary Map (3.59 MB)

Public Meetings

 

 

Public meetings are a critical part of hearing all the voices with input on this project. Check below for notices of public meetings and links to information shared at previous public meetings.

 

The first public meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the USDA-NRCS Murray County Field Office (3490 HWY 7 W) in Sulphur. The meeting will be formatted as an open house; therefore, the public is welcome to stop by anytime during its two-hour timeframe. No formal presentations will be given. 

Any comments or questions regarding the project should be sent, 
prior to November 15, 2024, to:

Valerie Glasgow

Acting Assistant State Conservationist for Water Resources

Where Are We in the Process?

The watershed planning process is established by federal statute and follows a specific procedure. The ultimate goal is to find a proposed alternative out of all possible solution alternatives that is preferred based on technical, economic, cultural, social, and ecological findings The proposed alternative will be the reasonable alternative that maximizes net public benefits to society. That occurs in four phases:

  • Identifying problems and determining objectives- in progress

  • Inventorying Resources and analyzing data

  • Alternative formulation, evaluation and decision

  • Preparation of the plan-ed