State launches flood alert program and awards $9.5M in infrastructure grants

The state announced $9.5 million in water and sewer grants for McDowell and Mingo counties and proposed a $10 million SENTRY flood-warning pilot ahead of the one-year anniversary of a fatal flood.

The state announced new infrastructure funding and a proposed flood-warning pilot as communities mark the one-year anniversary of last February’s flood. Governor Patrick Morrisey said $9.5 million in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization grants will fund five water and sewer projects in McDowell and Mingo counties. He also proposed SENTRY, a 36-month, $10 million pilot to improve short-term flood prediction and response. The announcement was made ahead of the anniversary of a flood that resulted in three deaths. Key details: - $9.5 million in AMLER grants were announced to support five water and sewer projects near legacy mine sites in McDowell and Mingo counties. - Major awards include $2.75 million for a centralized wastewater system in Davy and $2.5 million for the Elkhorn Creek Water Project; additional grants will fund projects in Jolo, Gary and Kermit. - SENTRY is proposed as a 36-month, $10 million pilot that would integrate additional sensors and AI-driven modeling to forecast elevated flood risk one to six hours in advance. - Officials made the announcement ahead of the one-year anniversary of the February 2025 flood, which state reports say caused three fatalities. Summary: The funding aims to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and to replace failing systems in affected communities. Undetermined at this time.