After the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, on Dec. 10, Rep. Chuck Edwards issued a statement highlighting water infrastructure projects in Western North Carolina that will receive funding and dam-related laws that will go into effect if the bill becomes law as expected.
The WRDA is legislation that Congress has been developing in a bipartisan manner and passing every two years since 2014. It authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects and embark on studies related to ports, harbors, inland waterways, flood protection and more throughout the country. This year’s bill is named after Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who is retiring.
The U.S. House and Senate each passed their own versions of the bill this summer. The House passed a reconciled version Dec. 10 by a vote of 399 to 18, and it “now goes to the Senate for final approval before being sent to the President to be signed into law,” according to the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.
Edwards’ statement said the bill secures funds for the following projects in Western North Carolina:
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More than $41 million for flood mitigation along the Pigeon River in Canton
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$1.5 million for downtown water system rehabilitation in Murphy
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$4 million for water plant expansion in Weaverville
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More than $3.4 million for water infrastructure upgrades in Robbinsville
Edwards’ statement said that North Carolina’s 11th congressional district, which he represents, is home to more than 750 dams, many of which are in poor or unsatisfactory condition, and that Tropical Storm Helene underscored the importance of improving dam safety.
Improvements completed on Asheville’s North Fork Dam in 2021 likely prevented the dam from failing during Helene.
Three dam-related bills that Edwards introduced in the House this year were passed as part of the WRDA:
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The National Dam Safety Program Amendment Act, which increases by 800 times the amount a state can receive for its dam safety program through already available funding via the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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The Low-Head Dam Inventory Act, which requires that low-head dams be added to the National Inventory of Dams and be appropriately maintained. Low-head dams are designed for water to continually flow over them but are sometimes called “drowning machines” because swimmers, kayakers and rafters can get trapped in their resulting currents. American Whitewater’s accident database contains 175 reports regarding fatalities due to low-head dams since 2007.
In his statement, Edwards said, “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.”
Deirdra Funcheon covers Henderson, Polk and Transylvania Counties for the Hendersonville Times-News. Got a tip? Email her at DFuncheon@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Rep. Edwards: I helped secure federal funds for WNC water projects and dams