Woonsocket dam will fall under federal control

WOONSOCKET – A new federal law will require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take over the annual operation and maintenance of the Woonsocket dam and flood-control levees, a move aimed at protecting the area’s residents and businesses from flooding.
Announced last week by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s office, the agreement for the transfer was reached after a November 2006 Army Corps of Engineers flood protection project that found the levee and dam needed repairs. The transfer was made official in the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill, Reed’s office said, and is expected to save the city $250,000 annually.