HARRISBURG -- USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Wayne County Board of County Commissioners, and the Wayne Conservation District co-sponsor a public meeting at 6:00 p.m. on May 20, 2021, to discuss the proposed dam rehabilitation projects in Wayne County. NRCS plans to rehabilitate the following four dams: Dam No. PA-413 (Garrett Dam); Dam No. PA-415 (Varcoe Dam); Dam No. PA-419 (Martin Dam), and Dam No. PA-421 (Finkleday Dam).
The Lackawaxen dams provide flood protection to residents of Honesdale and the adjacent downstream floodplains. Local sponsors, NRCS staff, and their consultants are developing a plan for rehabilitating these dams so they will meet current NRCS and Pennsylvania dam safety regulations and design standards. Alternatives considered include: no action, decommissioning (dam removal), structural rehabilitation, and nonstructural measures.
Staff from the partnering agencies, along with their consultants, will provide information on the dam rehabilitation program, planning activities to date, the various rehabilitation alternatives evaluated, and the recommended alternative for rehabilitation of these four flood-retarding structures. They will be available to answer questions and concerns about the projects and seek public input.
Federal funding has been received to assist the local sponsors in developing this plan but has not yet been secured for the design or construction of these projects.
This public meeting will be held on-site and also virtually using Microsoft Teams. The onsite meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Wayne County Courthouse located at 925 Court Street in Honesdale. Appropriate COVID-19 precautions will be in effect in the Courthouse. Please plan to wear a mask unless you have health conditions that prevent you from doing so. For those who prefer to participate virtually, a Microsoft Teams meeting link and teleconference number will be made available.
NRCS provides reasonable accommodations to enable all persons with disabilities to participate in agency programs and activities. If you require special accommodations, the virtual meeting link, or for further information on the meeting, please contact Heather Smeltz, NRCS Civil Engineer, at (717) 237-2214 or Heather.Smeltz@usda.gov by May 18, 2021. Please RSVP to Heather Smeltz by May 18, 2021 to attend the meeting in person, ensuring that social distancing can be practiced.