NRCS grants $1.9 million for Wellington
The Federal Government is providing almost $2 million to mitigate the flood potential along the Price River where it flows through Wellington.
Torrential rains caused the Price River to overflow its banks twice in the last three years, flooding homes, businesses and infrastructure in many areas of Carbon County.
In Wellington, one of the hardest hit areas, city crews and private contractors joined scores of neighbors and friends to help residents on south 100 East with the clean up. Some homeowners had barely finished replacing furniture, drywall and carpeting from the 2014 flooding event, when it happened again last September.
Price City applied to the Permanent Community Impact Board for emergency assistance to mitigate the damage from flooding to infrastructure within the city.
Carbon County and Wellington City declared an emergency after the September, 2016 event, but the damage in dollar amounts did not reach the threshold that would trigger state or federal aid.
The County sought an Emergency Watershed Project Grant from the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service for eight sites that sustained flooding damage in 2016. To be approved for the grant, applicants must demonstrate impairment of the watershed with an imminent threat to life, homes or infrastructure. NRCS awarded $1.9 million for two projects in Wellington for an area spanning 500 West to the bridge over the railroad east of town.
Projects must be sponsored by a political subdivision of the State such as a city, county, general improvement district, or conservation district. NRCS will bear 75 percent of the construction cost while the remaining 25 percent must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Carbon County and Price River Water Improvement District for handling that portion of the grant was approved during the May 1 regular commission meeting. Deputy County Attorney Christian Bryner emphasized the county is acting as the pass-through entity. PRWID will provide the 25 percent match, “but we agreed to administer the contract for the work and design as the sponsor.”
EWP Program Resource Conservationist Tony Beals said $980,800 will go to the Price River Water Improvement District to reinforce a berm and other protections for the water treatment facility. The berm was put in place after the 2014 flooding that caused more than $3.5 million in damage and shut down the water treatment plant. District Manager Jeff Richens said plans call for enlarging and “armoring” the berm with rip-rap.
An additional $932,216 will be used to restore capacity to the Price River in Wellington, by cleaning debris and invasive trees out the river channel, and laying back and armoring the river banks. Beals said, “We’re going to try to get the water safely through and protect the homes.” Wellington City also has an MOU with Carbon County and will provide the match for this project. Mayor Joan Powell said with the help of Sen. David Hinkins and Rep. Christine Watkins, she was successful in securing $150,300 in state funding to put toward the match. The City will also provide labor or other services to satisfy the matching funds requirement.
The NRCS requires the projects to be completed within 220 days, but extensions may be granted. The projects are currently in the design phase with a construction schedule from July to September.
Mayor Powell said she is anxious to see the projects completed. “It’s not getting done fast enough.” She said with the river already swollen from spring runoff, she worries every time a storm moves into the area.