Federal stimulus money to be used for three Madison County watersheds

Officials say Georgia is leveraging $3 million in state funds to get $6 million in economic stimulus money — all of it part of $28 billion in stimulus money allocated to USDA.

The Madison County projects include:

•Little Sandy Trail Creek Watershed Structure 1, which includes widening the auxiliary spillway to 195 feet and lengthening the control section to 100 feet to enhance downstream protection below the high hazard dam. It is expected to provide more than $113,000 in annual flood control benefits.

•South River Watershed Structure 10, which includes widening the auxiliary spillway crest 20 feet and raising the existing dam two feet to achieve the required protection downstream of the high hazard dam. It is expected to provide $57,000 in annual flood control benefits.

•South River Watershed Structure 4, which involves building an auxiliary spillway with a weir over the top of the existing dam to provide better downstream protection. It is expected to produce annual flood control benefits of more than $57,000.

Documents from the USDA say the Madison County projects will also result in annual benefits in excess of $755,000 in unspecified non-flood-related damages and will generate 66 jobs.

All of the projects are in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission.