Today’s Topic: Modifications to state law governing dam construction

by | Jul 12, 2011

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”

Southern Farm Network logoThis week, Mike Davis subs for Rhonda and talks with Commissioner Troxler about a change in state law that will help N.C. farmers.

Commissioner Troxler tells Mike that House Bill 119, among other things, modified the state’s law governing dam construction. The bill changed the state’s Dam Safety Law to exempt dams that are less than 25 feet in height or have a water impoundment capacity of less than 50 acre-feet. This is an increase from the previous exemption limit of 15 feet in height and 10 acre-feet of impoundment capacity.

The bill also exempted dams that are built for providing water for agricultural use. This exemption applies to farm ponds if a person who is a licensed engineer approved plans for the dam, supervised its construction and registered the dam at the state Division of Land Resources.

Click below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Mike discuss this law change and how it can help farmers create new water resources that can be helpful, particularly during a drought.

[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_7-12.mp3 |titles=Today’s Topic for July 12]

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