Today in Open Session, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners discussed the ongoing Piney Run Watershed Study and voted to move forward with Alternative 1, the strictly compliance choice for the Piney Run Dam. Alternative one will raise the dam, widen the spillway, and armor the downstream end of the auxiliary spillway with concrete. This decision will not involve any changes to the level of the reservoir or change its current recreational status but also does not preclude the county from pursuing the reservoir as a water source in the future.
There is a significant Piney Run Watershed Study history which began in January 2018 and is available as a timeline on the dedicated Piney Run Watershed webpage. At the direction of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the county began the Piney Run Watershed Study in October 2019 to evaluate the condition of the dam and determine if there are any inadequacies that need to be addressed. Carroll County contracted AECOM consultants to analyze the dam with funding from a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grant. With the analysis complete, the bureau presented alternatives for improvements to the dam. Staff briefed the commissioners on February 25, 2021 during Open Session and presented the project and alternatives at two public meetings on March 11th.
This decision:
- Has a lower county financial investment
- Addresses MDE compliance issues related to public safety
- Does not preclude future water supply use
- Has the potential for NRCS cost share
- Has minimal impact to reservoir during construction
- Ensures environmental study prior to construction
The next step in the watershed study is the production of final documentation for review and approval by NRCS. This process is anticipated to take until October of this year. The county will then apply for additional grant funding from NRCS for the design of the Alternative 1 modifications to the dam. The county anticipates hearing back from NRCS in April 2022, which will allow the county to then proceed with the engineering design and environmental permitting of the proposed modifications. Engineering design and permitting is anticipated to take approximately 2 years. The county will then be able to apply for further grant funding from NRCS to cover 65% of the construction costs, which are currently estimated to be $7.5M.
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The watershed study was financed by a NRCS grant and was performed by AECOM, an international firm with resources specializing in dam engineering.
Information about the Piney Run Watershed Study can be found on the county’s webpage https://www.carrollcountymd.gov/government/directory/land-resource-management/resource-management/piney-run-watershed-study/ Updates will appear on the webpage throughout the remainder of the study process. For more information, contact the Bureau Chief of Resource Management, Christopher Heyn, at PineyRunStudy@carrollcountymd.gov or 410-386-2712.
Meetings are available for viewing on the county meeting portal and the county YouTube channel. In addition, all meetings will be replayed on Comcast Channel 24.
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Scott E