USDA invests more than $166.5 million in infrastructure to protect American communities
Allen Site Dam, Walpole, Mass. among projects funded
AMHERST, Mass., March 9, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $166.5 million in 108 infrastructure projects nationwide as part of implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is working with local communities in 23 states, including Massachusetts, to invest in new dam and flood prevention projects and in repairs on existing watershed infrastructure, which are all part of USDA’s broader national infrastructure investment.
The Allen Site Dam in Walpole, Mass. is included in the first round of projects that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding. The funds for the Allen Site Dam project will be used to prepare the design for rehabilitation of the dam. The dam was constructed in 1981 and provides flood protection along Diamond Brook, which runs through the center of Walpole.
The Allen Site Dam is classified as a high hazard dam based on the potential for loss of human life to residents, workers and motorists, and risk of damage to homes, commercial facilities and infrastructure if the dam were to fail. The goal of the Allen Site Dam project is to maintain flood control protection for up to the 100-year flood event on Diamond Brook and for the dam to meet current NRCS and Commonwealth of Massachusetts dam safety standards.
“USDA’s investments in watershed programs provide much needed support for communities to build resilience in the face of climate change,” said Dan Wright, State Conservationist for NRCS in Massachusetts. “The Allen Site Dam project will alleviate concerns about flooding, help with the effects of severe weather events, and put a system in place that will ensure a climate resilient future to help the Walpole community thrive in the years to come.”
The Allen Site Dam is one of 30 dams built between 1962 and 1987 by NRCS. Significant upstream urban development has created the need for rehabilitation of these dams. The dams are still structurally sound and do not pose an imminent threat to public safety, but increased land development now generates higher amounts of runoff than the dams were originally designed to handle.
The project will protect homes, businesses, roads and bridges downstream. An environmental assessment determined that rehabilitation of the dam would also benefit fish and wildlife, forest resources, migratory species, soil resources, and wetlands, as well as enhance scenic beauty and recreation.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed in November by President Biden, provided $918 million for NRCS watershed programs, which includes the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program, Watershed Rehabilitation Program (REHAB) and Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. Through NRCS watershed programs, NRCS works with local, eligible sponsors, including state government entities, local municipalities, conservation districts and federally recognized tribal organizations.
IIJA also provided EWP funds and those funds are available for communities to respond to natural disasters. NRCS will continue to assist communities as it receives disaster requests.
A full list of projects is available on NRCS’