Kintz Creek Dam declared high hazard

By Frances Ruth Harris
MILFORD — A public hearing on the Kintz Creek Dam Rehabilitation Project revealed there's nothing wrong with the dam. But because of a change of classification to high hazard, it needs structural changes to extend its life another 50 years.

Heather Smeltz and Don Murray of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture presented details about the project at the Dec. 2 hearing led by the Pike County commissioners.

The technical standards for safety and longevity have changed as more is known about how the dam and surrounding ecosystems function to protect against area flooding, Smeltz and Murray explained.

The commissioners agreed to look into a plan in which the federal government would provide 65 percent of the total cost, with 35 percent, or $725,000, to be paid by the county.

Smeltz said funding might include shale money, or be made available as a result of legislative action.