Huntington District, WV --
Presentation for Public and Agency Input
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Huntington District is providing an online public participation presentation to inform and receive public input to begin the process of revising the master plan for the John W. Flannagan & North Fork of Pound River Lake projects as a Regional Master Plan.
Normally, USACE would conduct a face-to-face public workshop to announce the start of the revision and to request comments from the public. However, precautions associated with the COVID-19 virus have made it necessary to conduct the public involvement process online instead of hosting a face-to-face workshop. Please watch the following video presentation or download the PDF copy to read the presentation.
The existing Master Plan documents and map are available to download at the bottom of the page as well as a comment form with instructions on how to send comments. Download a PDF copy to read the presentation. Please note that the PDF copy and video presentation provide the same information.
About John W. Flannagan & North Fork of the Pound River Lakes
John W. Flannagan Dam is located on the Pound River, VA, a tributary of Russell Fork, of Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River 150 river miles above the confluence of the Big Sandy and Ohio Rivers and 1.8 miles above the mouth of Pound River. The project is located 4 miles northwest of Haysi, VA in Dickenson County. The reservoir has an upstream tributary lake called North Fork of Pound River Lake at Pound, VA. John W. Flannagan Lake is authorized for flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement in a comprehensive plan for the Ohio and Mississippi River Basins. Prior to the construction of JW Flannagan Lake, Dickenson County, VA did not have a sizeable body of water available for recreational use. The area was significantly lacking in non-urban, public recreation facilities and Flannagan Lake was designed to provide boating, swimming and fishing waters, along with camping to the area.
North Fork of Pound Dam is located on the North Fork of Pound River, VA, a tributary to Pound River, of Russel Fork, of Levisa Fork, of the Big Sandy River 184 river miles above the confluence of the Big Sandy and Ohio Rivers and 1.1 miles above the mouth of North Fork of Pound River. The project is located 1.3 miles west of Pound, VA is Wise County. The project was authorized for flood control, fish and wildlife conservation, water supply, and recreation purposes. Much like JW Flannagan in Dickenson County, North Fork of the Pound River provides the only sizeable body of water available for recreation in Wise County, VA.
What is a Master Plan?
The Master Plan is the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all project recreational, natural, and cultural resources throughout the life of the water resources project. Revision of the Master Plan will not address in detail the technical operational aspects of the reservoir related to the water supply or flood risk management missions of the project. As both projects are in close proximity to each other, the revision will result in a single document addressing both projects in the form of a Regional Master Plan.
Why Revise the John W. Flannagan & North Fork of Pound River Lake Master Plan?
The current Master Plan at John W. Flannagan was published in 1962, and in 1979 for North Fork of Pound River Lake. The master plans do not comply with USACE guidance regarding master plans are in need of revision. Changes have occurred over time and need to be captured to reflect the current and future management of the projects. The current master plans and land classifications are in need of revision to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends, and USACE management policy. Key topics to be addressed in the revised Regional Master Plan include revised land classifications, new natural and recreational resource management objectives, recreation facility needs, and special topics such as invasive species management and protection of sensitive wildlife habitat. Public participation is critical to the successful revision of the Master Plan.