Town to share bounty from new dam


Big Stone Gap - Big Cherry Dam Dedication Event
Photo by Chris Starnes, LENOWISCO PDC

By KATHY STILL - BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
Published Thursday, July 7, 2005

BIG STONE GAP – This Wise County town’s Big Cherry Dam is no longer on Virginia’s list of dangerous dams and reservoirs.

After four years of planning and about a year of construction, town officials on Wednesday unveiled an $8.2 million structure that nearly doubles the reservoir’s capacity and will provide water to neighboring towns in three counties.

Built in the early 1930s, the dam was considered structurally sound but in need of replacement due to deterioration.

Although the water level at the dam caused some worry during periods of heavy rain, particularly in the closest communities of East Stone Gap and Crackers Neck, there was never any flooding from the structure.

Still, town officials had wanted to build a new dam for years, but found the price tag daunting. Then federal and state officials pitched in.

"It’s been a long process," Mayor Bill Cole said as he stood atop the concrete structure built just 200 feet from the old dam. "This dam has been in our sights for years."

The old facility held 350 million gallons of water. The new dam can hold 633 million gallons, which will allow the town to share the bounty.

"We’ve gone into the regional water business," Cole said.

The town can provide water to the city of Norton and the towns of Appalachia, Pennington Gap, the Dryden Water Authority and the public service authorities in Wise, Lee and Scott counties.

"This will be good for them and us," Cole said.

Although the dam belongs to the town, it has far greater implications, said Ron Flanary, head of the Lenowisco Planning District Commission.

"It is the cornerstone of the regional water initiative," Flanary said.

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-9th, who was instrumental in landing more than $7 million in federal money for the project, said 12,000 Wise County residents receive public water from the Big Cherry Reservoir.

"This is the largest dam built in the western part of the state in many years," he said.

Big Stone Gap provided $500,000 for the project and additional money came from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the Virginia Department of Health.

Boucher said he is working to get more federal money to offset some of the local money spent. The town has an outstanding balance of more than $650,000 on the project.

Delegate Terry Kilgore, R-Gate City, is also working to get $250,000 for the project from the Virginia Tobacco Commission. The funding could come as early as Friday, when the commission meets to consider applications.