The three dams were among 72 awarded $1.15 million from the Virginia Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund last month.
The three dams in Augusta County are all South River dams, located on small tributaries of the river, said John Kaylor, a conservation specialist with the Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District. Another $10,250 grant went to the Camp Shenandoah Dam in Augusta County to do repairs and other work.
Each of the three South River dams was awarded $15,000, according to the release from Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office. The grant money will be used to identify individuals living in a food zone should there be a problem with any of the dams. Kaylor said the grants will pay up to 50 percent of the cost of the work on the dams.
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“This will help us update our emergency action plans,’’ said Kaylor, who said the county will be able to digitize mapping for the dams.
Should a storm such as a hurricane occur involving the dams, Kaylor said reverse 911 and other methods would be used to prepare vulnerable residents living close to the dams for evacuation.
McAuliffe said in the release that “dam failures can be tragic for families and economically devastating for communities. These essential grants will help keep Virginians and their property safe and dry through successful and necessary preparation.”
Clyde E. Cristman, the director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, said more than half of the dams “receiving funding are classified as high hazard, meaning they pose the greatest risk to life and property upon failure and are a priority for the commonwealth.”