Woodbury County Dams to be Rehabilitated

In Woodbury County, three dams are known to pose a threat to human safety.  Located south of Sioux City along Glen Ellen Road, the dams will soon begin a $1,152,000 rehabilitation project to rebuild them to meet current safety standards.  Wednesday, August 13, at 10:00 a.m., in the Pioneer Mall Professional Center, 206 First Street, Sergeant Bluff, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Iowa Division of Soil and Water Conservation, Woodbury County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors will enter into an agreement that will begin the rehabilitation project.     

The rehabilitation plan for the 2,873-acre Glen Ellen Subwatershed project is the first in Iowa to receive federal funding.  Rehabilitation plans call for relocating three houses that might be flooded if the dam above failed and rebuilding one dam to the high hazard class to better protect those downstream.  

This project is the beginning of a statewide watershed structure and dam rehabilitation program.  There are over 50 dams and structures in Iowa that have reached their 50-year design life.  Land use downstream of several dams has also changed creating dam safety issues that require work. 

Congress recognized the need for rehabilitation of watershed dams and structures by provided money in the 2002 Farm Bill through the PL-566 program. 

Federal, state, and local in-kind contributions are being used to rehabilitate the Glen Ellen Subwatershed.

After the short signing ceremony, tours of the watershed will be conducted and rehabilitation work will be explained.

For more information, please contact Marilyn Jahn at 712-943-6727 or Dick Tremain at 515-323-2736.