Delaware Delegation Announces $660,000 in Disaster Relief for Red Clay Creek

Wilmington, DE – Delaware’s Congressional Delegation announced today that the State will receive $660,000 in federal funds to remove heavy debris — including fallen trees and damaged vehicles — currently blocking and damming parts of the Red Clay Creek. The debris was deposited as a result of the severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Henri in September 2003 and Hurricane Jeanne earlier this year. At one point, stream gauges reported record flooding with water levels reaching 3.5 feet higher than the previous flood record. In a letter dated April 1, 2004, Senators Joe Biden and Tom Carper along with Congressman Mike Castle urged appropriators to provide emergency funding to address the twenty separate locations in the watershed in need of emergency cleanup. According to the delegation, the funds were essential to “allow for the proper removal of the storm debris and help prevent additional catastrophic flooding from occurring.” The $660,000 comes to Delaware from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Natural Resource Conservation District (NRDC) for Delaware. The NRDC will work directly with the New Castle County Conservation District to begin the cleanup immediately. The funding is part a larger hurricane relief bill approved by Congress and signed by the President in October.