News

Edwards touts passage of dam safety measures

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 15, 2024

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards is touting the passage of a dam safety measure to fund flood mitigation along the Pigeon County in Haywood County and improve water systems in Murphy, Weaverville and Robbinsville.

"WNC, with its many lakes and rivers, must remain at the forefront of dam safety and I’m pleased that the House passed three of my bills to provide federal support for the nearly 92,000 dams that serve critical functions across our nation," Edwards said. "The significant flooding following Hurricane Helene underscored the importance of improving dam safety efforts to prevent catastrophic dam failures, protect lives and downstream communities, and make sure that dams continue to provide the services that Western North Carolinians depend on."

The Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which is headed to the president’s desk after the House and Senate passed it, funds these projects:

• More than $41 million for flood mitigation along the Pigeon River in Canton, N.C.
• $1.5 million for downtown water system rehabilitation in Murphy, N.C.
• $4 million for water plant expansion in Weaverville, N.C.
• More than $3.4 million for water infrastructure upgrades in Robbinsville, N.C.

In addition to the funding, three bills Edwards introduced were passed as part of WRDA 2024: the National Dam Safety Program Reauthorization Act of 2023, the National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act and the Low-Head Dam Inventory Act.

The 11th Congressional District is home to more than 750 dams, many of which are in poor or unsatisfactory condition. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure gave America’s dams a “D” grade in safety, and the Association of State Dam Safety estimates that more than 2,300 high-hazard dams are at risk due to a lack of investment in dam safety. ASDSO estimates that it would cost $157.5 billion to place these high-hazard dams into a state of good repair.