Beech Tree News Network

On Thursday, July 16, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) visited the Rochester Dam to survey the ongoing progress of recent dam renovations.

The Rochester Dam Regional Water Commission (RDRWC) hosted the event. 

Secretary John Dix served as emcee and President Weymouth Martin shared some history of the dam, the current project, and stated he was glad the studies were over and the work has started.

"There have been some challenges with deterioration over the years. Just upstream from here is the Woodbury Dam, which failed in 1965. We did not want to have that happen here," Dix said.

In 2016 Senator McConnell successfully secured language in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), supporting Kentucky's vital water infrastructure and giving more control to Kentucky communities. The language called for the transfer of ownership of several dams on the Green River from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to local entities. Rochester Dam, also known as Green River Dam 3, was transferred to the Rochester Dam Regional Water Commission. The transfer of the Rochester Dam to the community made it eligible to receive the federal grant funding from the Economic Development Administration.

In 2017 Senator McConnell announced that the Rochester Dam Regional Water Commission (RDRWC) was awarded a $3 million grant by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA).

"Throughout my career, I have been an advocate for protecting the Rochester Dam and access to safe and healthy drinking water. Through multiple legislative measures utilizing my role as Senate Majority Leader and as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I've helped mobilize federal resources to protect this vital water source," said McConnell.

The work is being completed in three phases.

"Three phases include securing the lock, which was done last fall. The current work is to secure what was an old mill, an old mill in the 1800s that was on this river. That is where the work is being done right now. When that work is completed, they'll move into the main channel where they'll be securing and building, basically restoring the dam to its original level," said Dix.

United States Representative Brett Guthrie (R-KY) was also in attendance.

"It looked like an unsolvable problem because of what if took to take care of this issue, but local leaders, local people taking the responsibility and working with state leaders—specifically working with leaders in Washington, D.C. One of the great criticisms I have heard in D.C. about leader McConnell is that he does too much for Kentucky," said Guthrie.

The dam helps provide water to nearly 50,000 people. A dam failure could significantly lower the water level, possibly resulting in residents in Ohio, Butler, and Muhlenberg counties having no water supply.

"What I enjoy most out of my job is projects like these. Taking care of the needs of Kentucky is the most important thing that I'm engaged in. Brett mentioned that I am the only one of the four congressional leaders not from New York or California, I am kind of proud of that. My job is to look out for middle America, and the perfect example of it is right here behind us, and I have a great partner over in the house in Brett Guthrie to make sure it makes it all the way through the process," said McConnell.

 The Rochester Dam was built in 1838, with rocks held in place by wood.

The renovation project is due to be done in November.