The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is in the final stages of developing a Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment (Plan-EA) for two Floodwater Retarding Structures (FRSs) within the Ascalmore Creek Watershed.
Ascalmore Creek FRS Y-17A-01 and Ascalmore Creek FRS Y-17A-02 were originally constructed and classified as low-hazard structures. Since then, homes, roads and businesses have increased within the potential breach inundation areas downstream of the dams. Rehabilitation to high-hazard criteria is necessary to upgrade the dams and associated structures to their current classification and to protect people and property downstream.
Ascalmore Creek FRS Y-17A-01 was completed in 1963 and has a total drainage area of approximately 10.8 square miles. The structure was built on Ascalmore Creek approximately 4.1 miles east of the Paynes community and 2.5 miles west of the Paul community in Tallahatchie County. Downstream of Structure Y-17A-01, Ascalmore Creek flows southwest for approximately 16 miles before converging with Tippo Bayou in proximity to the Tallahatchie-Grenada County border.
Ascalmore Creek FRS Y-17A-02 was completed in 1958 and is located approximately 1.6 miles southeast of the Paynes community in Tallahatchie County. This subwatershed drains an area of approximately 5.5 square miles and was built on Young Creek which combines a series of small, unnamed tributaries. Downstream of the structure, Young Creek flows north for approximately 0.7 miles before converging with Ascalmore Creek.
An initial public meeting was held on Dec. 15, 2022, to introduce the project and gather stakeholder input regarding each of the FRSs. Following that meeting, NRCS and its project partners developed a rehabilitation analysis and modification alternatives which would bring the dams into compliance with NRCS and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Dam Safety Division design criteria for the high-hazard classification. A preferred alternative was chosen based on engineering, environmental, and economic factors as well as input from the local community.
As part of this ongoing process, NRCS is conducting a second public meeting to be held Aug. 22 at 6 p.m. at the former National Guard armory, 409 S. Cossar Avenue in Charleston. The meeting will present a summary of findings from the engineering and environmental investigations as well as the alternatives considered. The preferred alternative for rehabilitation of each FRS will also be presented along with the associated economic and environmental concerns.
Residents and stakeholders within the watershed are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn about the alternatives considered and the reasoning behind the selection of the preferred alternative.
Attendance is free, but registration is requested at the following website: https://tinyurl.com/49w8rmhy.
Participants can also register by scanning the QR code using their smartphone or other handheld device. For those not able to attend the meeting in person, questions or comments can be emailed to Ascalmore.Creek@AllenES.com.
Anyone who needs an accommodation to participate in this event is asked to contact Kevin Kennedy at 662-647-4323 or by email to kennedycharlesk@gmail.com by Aug. 8, which is at least two weeks before the event.
Scan this QR code to sign up for the Aug. 22 Ascalmore Creek meeting. (Provided by NRCS)
