ELIZABETHTOWN — Three locks and dams on the Cape Fear River in Bladen County could soon be under state ownership as part of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
The agency said in a release Friday afternoon it is proceeding with a letter of intent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with submission of the letter by the state on or before Feb. 28. Congress makes the decision on deauthorizing to a willing nonfederal entity.
The process is expected to take two to five years.
The facilities were originally put in place in the early 1900s for commercial navigation. They haven’t been used in that manner since 1995.
The William O. Huske Dam, also known as No. 3, is near the Chemours plant that straddles the county line between Bladen and Cumberland counties. Lock No. 2 is in Elizabethtown, just off East Broad Street and across from Brown’s Creek Bike Trail. Lock No. 1 is in the southern end of the county in the East Arcadia community, just north of where N.C. 11 crosses the Cape Fear.
Maintenance and operation of the locks and dams can be acquired by the state because, per Session Law 2008-186, there is no federal interest in doing so.
Secretary Michael Regan, in the release, said, “The state of North Carolina recognizes the importance of maintaining the locks and dams for flood control and resiliency, to protect water quality, water supply, fish passage, aquatic habitat and recreational opportunities in the Cape Fear River. Many groups depend on the ongoing operation and maintenance of these locks and dams and state ownership ensures that all stakeholder interests are represented moving forward.”
DEQ says it met with parties connected locally, with the state and federally over the last 10 months. A meeting here Dec. 18 at the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market allowed community organizations, local utilities and leaders in the area to assess priorities and concerns
