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Madison County accepts USDA/NRCS watershed agreement to fund major Bear Creek flood mitigation
Summary
Madison County supervisors approved a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service watershed agreement that will fund design and construction of flood-mitigation measures for Bear Creek tributaries, with most costs covered by federal funds and a modest county cost share.
Madison County supervisors voted to accept a watershed plan agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that the board's presenter said will fund design and construction of dry dams, levees and related flood-mitigation work on Bear Creek tributaries.
County staff described the award as federal funding in the tens of millions of dollars, with the presenter estimating the total allocation at about $23 million to $26 million and the county’s nonconstruction cost share at roughly $683,000. A county official said approximately $11.76 million to $12 million will be used for design-related work and that the federal government will cover the vast majority of costs (presenter cited roughly 97.8 percent federal pay share for listed items).
Why it matters: County leaders said the multi-year, federally supported effort is intended to reduce the risk of recurring flooding in communities such as Canton, Richland and Gluckstadt by creating engineered outlets and detention features. Supporters noted the work follows a county-funded watershed study and years of coordination with NRCS and congressional and agency contacts.
Board action and next steps: The board approved a motion to accept the NRCS watershed plan agreement and authorized the board president to sign necessary documents to move the project to the next stage. County staff said the agreement provides a two-year window to design and install the agreed measures; once the county signs the agreement, the state NRCS director will forward it for final federal review.
What officials said: A county official who led the presentation summarized the agreement and timeline, saying the package will “allow us to quickly begin a 2 year project of building this significant flood project.” Supervisor Banks and other board members credited prior county-funded watershed studies and outside help for advancing the project.
What remains unresolved: Staff said specific project scopes, schedules and any potential buyouts or right-of-way needs will be defined during the design phase. The board did not set construction dates at the meeting; staff will return with implementation details as design progresses.
The board approved the agreement and anticipates follow-up briefings as design work begins and federal approvals proceed.
