While the average person might think it’s just about farms, the Farm Bill funding for dams was perhaps one of the most unsung wins for infrastructure in 2014. The 2014 Farm Bill that Congress passed in the summer provided USDA with $262 million to distribute to states for rehabilitating dams. The funding provided rehabilitation assistance for 150 dams in 26 states. This increased the typical annual investment in rehabilitation 20 times over! Dam infrastructure’s role in flood management, water supply, and agricultural productivity is critical to the economy.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Watershed Rehabilitation assistance by state:
| Project Name | Assistance Provided |
| Arizona | $98,137,300 |
| Texas | $33,842,975 |
| Oklahoma | $26,420,000 |
| West Virginia | $14,200,099 |
| Utah | $12,655,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $11,380,500 |
| Massachusetts | $8,976,000 |
| Nebraska | $7,515,236 |
| Virginia | $7,285,000 |
| Mississippi | $5,675,000 |
| Colorado | $2,940,000 |
| New York | $2,900,000 |
| Tennessee | $2,300,000 |
| Kansas | $1,751,000 |
| Oregon | $1,374,000 |
| Kentucky | $1,163,000 |
| Ohio | $708,000 |
| New Mexico | $600,000 |
| Wyoming | $543,103 |
| Connecticut | $450,000 |
| Arkansas | $445,500 |
| North Dakota | $294,000 |
| Nevada | $280,000 |
| Idaho | $249,000 |
| Georgia | $225,000 |
| New Hampshire | $50,000 |
See if you recognize the Watershed Rehabilitation Projects in your state that are getting some TLC:
AR: Muddy Fork of Illinois River
AZ: Apache Junction-Gilbert
AZ: Buckeye
AZ: Florence
AZ: Fredonia
AZ: Guadalupe
AZ: Magma
AZ: White Tank Mountains
AZ: Whiter Tank Mountains
AZ: Williams Chandler
CO: Boxelder Crk
CO: Boxelder Crk WS
CO: Franktown – Parker
CO: Franktown-Parker Tributaries of Cherry Creek
CT: Norwalk Site-2
GA: Little River
GA: Palemetto Creek
GA: Sallacoa
ID: Montpelier Creek Dam
KS: Little Walnut-Hickory
KS: Muddy Creek
KS: North Sector Upper Walnut
KS: Rock Creek (Butler)
KS: Spring Creek (Reno)
KY: East Fork Clarks River
KY: Red Lick Creek
MA: Su-As-Co
MS: Big Sand Creek Structure
MS: Chiwapa Creek
MS: Richland Creek
ND: Tongue River
NE: Indian Creek
NE: Oak-Middle Creek Trib. of Salt Creek
NE: Upper Big Nemaha
NE: Upper Salt & Swedeburg
NH: Site 8 So Br Dam (Baker Site 8)
NM: Hackberry Draw
NM: Santa Cruz Arroyo
NV: Peavine Mountain
NY: Conewango Creek
NY: Ischua Creek Watershed
NY: Little Choconut Creek Watershed
NY: Little Choconut; Finch Hollow; and Trout Brook
NY: Nanticoke Creek Watershed
OH: Chippewa Creek
OH: Margaret Creek
OH: Upper Hocking
OK: Barnitz
OK: Cottonwood
OK: Fourche Maline
OK: Quapaw
OK: Rock Creek
OK: Sallisaw
OK: Sallisaw Creek
OK: Upper Black Bear
OK: Upper Clear Boggy Creek
OK: Upper Elk Creek
OK: Washita – Barnitz Creek
OK: Washita – Fort Cobb Laterals
OR: Cooper Creek
OR: Plat I
PA: Brandywine Creek
PA: Conneautville Dam
PA: Greene-Dreher
PA: Marsh Creek
PA: Mill Creek
PA: Mill Run
PA: Neshaminy
PA: Two Mile Run
TN: Mary’s and Dan
TN: Pine Creek
TX: Calaveras Creek
TX: Chambers Creek Trinity River
TX: Lower Brushy Creek
TX: Lower Plum Creek
TX: Lower Running Water Draw
TX: Martinez Creek
TX: Olmitos & Garcias Creeks
TX: Plum Creek
TX: Trinity – Cedar Creek
TX: Trinity – East Fork above Lavon
TX: Trinity – East Fork above Lavon
TX: Trinity – Mountain Creek
TX: Trinity – Mountain Creek
TX: Trinity River East Fork above Lavon
TX: Trinity River East Fork above Lavon
TX: Upper Brushy Creek
TX: Williams Creek
UT: American Fork – Dry Creek
UT: Ferron
UT: Glenwood
UT: Monroe-Anabella
UT: Santaquin
UT: Warner Draw
UT: Warner Draw Watershed
VA: Cherrystone Creek
VA: Johns Creek
VA: Mountain Run
VA: Pohick Creek
VA: Potomac – South River
VA: Potomac – Upper North River
WV: Brush Creek
WV: Potomac – New Creek – Whites Run
WV: Upper Deckers Creek
WV: Wheeling Creek
WY: North Fork Powder River
WY: North Fork Powder River
Find out more at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.