Published: September 05, 2008 04:09 pm            

Stream program working just fine

A program meant to protect Garvin County’s road and bridges endangered by the flowing water in streams appears to be working just fine.

That’s the assessment of Brandon Chandler, district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Pauls Valley.

Chandler is referring to the Emergency Watershed Protection program (EWP).

The idea is to stabilize stream banks, which in turn protects the road and bridges that are determined could sustain serious damages if something is not done.

“It’s a cost-share program we have with local agencies to assist communities,” Chandler said.

“This program helps out the commissioners, and it sometimes is able to provide that help faster and better than other programs.”

One of those officials benefiting from the program, District 2 Commissioner Shon Richardson is quick to agree.

“This program protects bridges and roads,” Richardson said.

“It’s an 80-20 match for the county. We provide equipment and some manpower,” he said.

According to Chandler, the program is meant to provide help after what he describes as a disaster.

“It has to be some kind of event to occur — a disaster,” he said.

“These projects have come about from last year’s events.”

Chandler is referring to the record rainfall in 2007 and more specifically four separate incidents with at least 6 inches of rain.

The aftermath of that was some definite need to stabilize the banks of creeks, streams or rivers located near roads or bridges or in some cases both.

“Usually this program is for when a creek comes close to a road and there is the potential of damage to that road or a bridge. It also helps protect the creek or stream,” he said.

That protection comes in the form of work to shape and stabilize stream banks with large rock.

A past example of the program came in 2005 when work and funding went toward a project to stabilize a stream bank that was becoming a danger near Indian Meridian Road in Pauls Valley if it had gone unchecked.

Two more recent projects have been completed for Richardson and District 1 Commissioner Kenneth Holden.

In each of those cases large rock was used to shore up stream beds threatening county roads and bridges.

Other projects coming up for the county are in districts 2 and 3.

A $150,000 project comes in District 2 at what’s known by some as the “low water crossing.”

This project, Chandler said, will remove debris from under the bridge at the site that passes over the Washita River.

Plans are also in place for a $75,000 project west of Stratford in District 3 overseen by Commissioner Johnny Mann.

This project is meant to tackle a stream quickly becoming a danger to a county road there.

Chandler added the county generally offers its match to the project not with money but by using county workers and equipment.

“It’s usually cheaper for the county to provide this with in-kind services,” Chandler said.

“They’re on site for the whole project assisting the project’s contractor.”

        

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