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Miller County Commissioners Receive Grant Funds from the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
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There has been a lot of activity going on at the Ole Mill Acres Subdivision off Brinson Highway in Colquitt, GA. The Ole Mill Acres Subdivision had dirt access roads and drainage ditches that deposited water directly into Spring Creek. The ditches had become filled with sedimentation to the point that some of the ditches were no longer functioning properly. During a rain sedimentation was being washed into Spring Creek from the subdivision. The Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, funding by a 319(h) grant, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided cost share money to Miller County in order to correct the drainage and sedimentation issues. The funds provided were administered through the Golden Triangle RC&D. Technical support was provided through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Spring Creek Watershed Partnership provided $10,000.00 in order for the following sedimentation reduction methods to be installed: remove sedimentation that had been deposited into the ditches; cut the ditches back to a 2:1 slope; install new drainage pipes; build the road elevation in necessary locations; install sedimentation control structures; and seed the disturbed areas with a mixture of Bermuda, Centipede and brown top millet. Four types of sedimentation control structures were installed through NRCS guidance. These were storm drain outlet protection, rock check dams, rock filter dams and silt fence. Storm drain outlet protection are rocks that are installed at the outlet of the storm drain pipes that keeps the discharged water from eroding the ground and also traps any sedimentation coming through the pipe. Rock check dams slow the water’s velocity as it goes through the ditches in order to reduce erosion and also allows sedimentation to settle out in the ditch |
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bed instead of entering the creek. Rock filter dams and silt fencing slow the water’s velocity and allow water to filter through the structure while trapping sedimentation. During the project two rock filter dams were installed, three section of silt fence were installed, eleven rock check dams we installed, and fourteen storm drain outlet protections were installed. The Miller County Road Department did an excellent job conducted the work that was preformed during this stage of the project. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided $56,641.46 for the dirt roads in the Ole Mill Acres Subdivision to be paved. Having the roads paved will greatly reduce the amount of sedimentation entering into the drainage ditches. This will allow for the sedimentation control structures to have less sedimentation to filter and maintenance will have to be performed less often on the structures. Atkinson Construction service conducted the paving on the road system. The project was a big success with an estimated 83 tons per year of sedimentation, 121 pounds per year of phosphorous and 226 pounds per year of nitrogen being eliminated from entering into Spring Creek. Miller County Commissioners, Miller County Road Department, the Spring Creek Watershed Partnership, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the NRCS and the Golden Triangle RC&D showed what can be accomplished when organizations partner together for the good of our natural resources through the Ole Mill Acres Subdivision Project. |