Meetings to discuss rehabilitation plans for five dams within the Little Schuylkill River watershed will be held next month.

The dams are inspected each year by a number of agencies, said Denise Coleman, a U.S. Department of Agriculture conservationist.

“Several items have been identified that are out of compliance with the current USDA and Pennsylvania state dam safety criteria,” Coleman said.

The goal is to have each of the five meet or exceed state and federal dam safety criteria, continue to provide flood protection for the next 50 to 100 years, and minimize environmental, economic and social impacts of providing the specified level of flood protection.

Three of the dams, including the 96-acre Locust Creek Dam at Tuscarora State Park, are in Rush Township; one is in Ryan Township and another is in East Brunswick Township.

Coleman said that preparing a Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment is one of the first steps of a dam rehabilitation project. The plan evaluates a number of alternatives, such rehabilitation or decommissioning. It also determines the best alternatives for flood detention structures that meet current safety and design standards.

Those who would like to weigh in are invited to meetings planned for 2 and 6 p.m. March 2 at the Tuscarora State Park Office, 687 Tuscarora Park Road, Barnesville. The 2 p.m. meeting will be attended by agencies, organizations and watershed organizations. The 6 p.m. meeting, which will include the same presentation, is for the general public.

“The purpose of these meetings is to obtain resource information and concerns associated with the rehabilitation of the watershed resources early in the planning process,” Coleman said. “Topics will include public participation, project objectives, an outline of the planning process and the role of technical entities, participating agencies and nongovernmental organizations.”

According to information from the USDA, all five dams were constructed to provide flood control. The Little Schuylkill River Dry Dam lies on the Little Schuylkill River in Rush Township and the Neiferts Creek Dam is about 3 miles north of Tamaqua on State Game Lands 227 in Rush Township. Both were built in 1986.

The Hosensock Dam was constructed in 1961 and is near Fifth Avenue in Barnesville. The Locust Creek Dam at Tuscarora State Park was finished in 1964, and the Koenigs Creek Dam was built in 1962 and lies three miles west of New Ringgold.

“Multiple storm events have occurred since construction of the dams, and in each case, the dams detained millions of gallons of runoff that would have otherwise contributed to downstream flooding of homes and public infrastructure,” according to the USDA information.

All were designed to meet the safety standards in place at the time of their construction.

But the USDA noted that recent advances in dam safety engineering have resulted in increased design standards “above and beyond those in place when the dams were built.” The agency also said rainfall amounts and intensities have also changed.

“Other aspects of the dams have been identified that could improve their structural and operational safety as well as extending their service life,” the USDA reported.

A virtual meeting will be offered. More information is available by contacting Heather Smeltz at heather.smeltz@usda.gov or 717-237-2214 by Feb. 28.