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EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION
The purpose of the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program is to undertake emergency measures, including the purchase of flood plain easements, for runoff retardation and soil erosion prevention to safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire, flood or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden impairment of the watershed.
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It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance. Program objective is to assist sponsors and individuals in implementing emergency measures to relieve imminent hazards to life and property created by a natural disaster. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to remove debris from streams, protect destabilized streambanks, establish cover on critically eroding lands, repairing conservation practices, and the purchase of flood plain easements. The program is designed for installation of recovery measures.
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Traditional Types of EWP Assistance
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EWP provides funding to project sponsors for such work as clearing debris from clogged waterways, restoring vegetation, and stabilizing river banks. The measures that are taken must be environmentally and economically sound and benefit more than one property owner.
NRCS provides up to 75 percent of the funds needed to restore the natural function of a watershed and up to 90 percent in limited resource areas. The community or local sponsor of the work pays the remaining cost-share, which can be provided by cash or in-kind services.
Emergency Watershed Protection Sponsor's Guide
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Ulster County- 2005
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On April 2 & 3 it rained intensively for roughly 36 hours- causing major flooding of roads, towns, fields- homes and businesses throughout the entire county. A state of emergency existed through April 4th due to numerous road closing due to prolonged flooding and washouts. Some of the staff were unable to reach the field office in Highland due to road closure. NRCS and the SWCD have prepared about 80 Damage Survey Reports. Quick work by Area Engineer, Deron Davis, enabled Ulster County to procure $550,000 for Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) exigency funds. To date we have completed work on 9 sites in the Towns of Wawarsing, Hardenburgh and Shandaken.
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In Wawarsing, 5 sites were restored on Old Greenfield Rd along the Beerkill stream. The contract for constructing stacked and pinned rock walls was awarded to Hubbell, Inc. of Margaretville, NY. The Town of Wawarsing Highway Department contributed services, such as hauling debris, traffic control, removal and reinstallation of guard rails, etc. The contract total, which includes the Town of Wawarsing’s in-kind match, is $154,231.00.
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In Hardenburgh, 2 sites were restored on Millbrook Road along the Millbrook Creek. The contract for constructing on stacked and pinned rock wall on one site and sloped rock rip rap on the other was awarded to Hubbell, Inc. of Margaretville, NY. The Town of Hardenburgh contributed services, such as contract administration, tree and debris removal, hauling fill, installation of guard rail, traffic control, etc. The contract total, which includes the Town of Hardenburgh’s in-kind match, is $173,494.62.
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In Shandaken, 2 sites were restored. The first was on Pantherkill Road along the Pantherkill. The scope of work included removal of failing stacked rock material, driving of 30’ lengths of sheet piling, replacing rock rip rap and filling a secondary channel which was threatening the road. The second site was on Silver Hollow Road and consisted of the installation of sloped rock rip rap to stabilize a failing bank. Both contracts were awarded to T.C. Briggs of Prattsville, NY. The Town of Shandaken contributed services, such as contract administration, tree and debris removal, hauling fill, installation of guard rail, traffic control, etc. The contract total, which includes the Town of Shandaken’s in-kind match, is $ 359,073.15.
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Additional sites have been approved for non-exigency work. Those sites are in the Town of Denning, at Peekamoose along the Rondout Creek and in the Town of Shandaken on Fox Hollow Road at Muller Road and along the MuddyKill.
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