WRDA

The Water Resources Development Act (“WRDA’) is the comprehensive water resources law.  WRDA authorizes studies and projects within the U.S.  mission areas including navigation, flood damage reduction, hurricane and storm damage reduction, shoreline protection and environmental restoration.  All projects must be feasible and justified on the basis of Corps policy and regulation. In anticipating of the development of a new water resources bill, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has accepted project request. Here the request made on behalf of North Carolina’s First Congressional District:

Authorize $24 million to study, design and construct measures to ensure adequate water supply in the Tar River for Greene and Pitt Counties, North Carolina.  An initial investigation of options for drought mitigation has resulted in a three-phase approach to ensure an adequate water supply during drought conditions. 

• Phase I (estimated cost of $3 million) - Construction of two additional raw water intake pipes in the Tar River that would be at a lower level than the existing intake pipes.  
  
• Phase II (estimated cost of $5 million) - Construction of a water level control structure in the Tar River that would be activated only in drought and the creation of a physical barrier limiting the upstream movement of salt water.  
  
• Phase III (estimated cost of $24 million) - Construction of an additional 62 million gallon off-stream raw water impoundment that would provide increased emergency storage. 

The $32 million cost of the project would be shared with the Greenville Utilities Commission and it is estimated that 95,000 people in the region would benefit.