Big Sandy River Interstate Agreement
Black Diamond RC&D worked with the Ohio
River Valley
Water Sanitation Commission
(ORSANCO) to facilitate an interstate
agreement for the Big Sandy River Basin
amongst Kentucky, Virginia and West
Virginia. This agreement for shared
watershed improvement and protection was
signed by the three states on October
25, 2007. This overall effort
took a decade for the Black Diamond RC&D
to form the tri-state
Big Sandy River Basin Coalition and then
lead the process to develop an
interstate water quality agreement.
Outcomes:
Big Sandy River Interstate Agreement was
developed and signed by the three
states. Over the decades to follow,
this interstate agreement will lead to
millions of dollars in new federal and
state funds being dedicated to
addressing water quality problems within
this tri-state basin. Once state
budgets begin to improve after the
current financial crisis they plan to
discuss establishing a region river
basin office with staff as an early
step.
- ORSANCO’s decision to move off of the main stem of the Ohio River will have numerous positive impacts within the Big Sandy as well as other river basins in ORSANCO’s part of the Ohio River Basin for decades to come. ORSANCO now has an opportunity to function like the Chesapeake Bay Commission in managing a very large watershed.
- Wabash River Basin (IL, IN & OH) will receive assistance from ORSANCO in the future, since it has been designated as their #2 priority interstate watershed to assist after they learn how to proceed in their tributaries, while working in the Big Sandy.
- In 2009, the three states and ORSANCO will work on developing the 1st implementation plan for this agreement, which might include creating an Ohio River Endowment Fund.
Total Project Value: $1,070,000 which includes the RC&D Council’s contribution of $24,600.00 over a six-year period. This agreement is just the beginning with over a million dollars already committed to the Big Sandy River Basin for a Kentucky sewer project using state funds. How does one estimate the value of ORSANCO’s new role in moving off the “main stem” of the Ohio River to work in the interstate tributaries for the first time in their 60-year history?
Return on Federal Investment: 43.5 to 1.0 ratio or a return of 4,250%. $1,070,000 divided by $24,600 = 43.5.
Major Partners who assisted
Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), Big Sandy River Basin Coalition, Big Sandy RC&D, Mountain RC&D, Great Kanawha RC&D, Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, Kentucky Division of Water, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.
Contact
information:
Black
Diamond RC&D,140 Highland Drive,
Lebanon, Virginia 24266, 276.889.4180;
276.889.4246 (Fax)