The flood buyout program is still buying homes, one deed at a time

The short version: A federal flood program for buildings damaged in the April 1977 flood (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is still moving homes out of harm's way in Buchanan County. In September the county board accepted three more deeds under it (Sept. 14 minutes), and another was on the Nov. 2 agenda (agenda). The program is voluntary. The window to apply closed Jan. 16, 2023 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers).

What it is

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington District, runs the "Buchanan County Section 202" project with the county as its local partner (USACE). It covers buildings flooded in April 1977 along the Levisa Fork and its tributaries (2005 agreement). The county is in the program because of damage from that flood; Congress authorized Section 202 in 1981 in response to flooding in the Tug and Levisa Fork basins (USACE). The Town of Grundy is not included because it had its own separate flood project (USACE).

Owners of eligible buildings had two choices:

• Floodproofing: raising the building above the 1977 flood level or the 100-year flood level, whichever is higher (USACE).
• Buyout: if a building can't be safely raised, the government buys it and tears it down (USACE).

Both are voluntary (USACE).

Deeper layer

How big it is. The 2005 agreement between the Army and the county estimated about 730 eligible buildings. About 319 were eligible for floodproofing and 411 for buyout (2005 agreement). That agreement projected total costs of about $118.6 million, with the county responsible for 5 percent (2005 agreement). The agreement calls those amounts estimates "subject to adjustment" (2005 agreement).

Deadlines. The Corps took applications from October 2020 until June 30, 2022. After the July 13, 2022, flood, it reopened the window for six months, until Jan. 16, 2023 (USACE).

Recent activity. On Sept. 14, the board voted 6-0, with one member absent, to accept three deeds under the project (Sept. 14 minutes). One was described as Levisa Fork River Valley "Tract No. 2825" (Sept. 14 minutes). The Nov. 2 agenda listed another deed for acceptance (agenda).

Schools are part of it too. The project also covers schools in the floodplain. The Corps found that moving Hurley High School out of the floodplain was the least costly fix. In 2021 the school board proposed combining the Tech Center and Hurley High into a new building at Southern Gap instead (USACE).

Roads to the new school. The county's coal road fund has been paying for the Ruffed Grouse Lane extension at Southern Gap High School. In August the board added $154,000 that went unspent last year (Aug. 3 minutes). The Nov. 2 agenda included a $148,979 reimbursement to the school system for that project (agenda).

If you have questions

The Corps' project page lists the Huntington District as the contact for eligible owners (USACE). Bedrock has not confirmed whether late applications are accepted.

Sources

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buchanan County Section 202 Project
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Buchanan County, Project Cooperation Agreement, April 2005
• Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, Minutes, Sept. 14, 2026
• Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, Minutes, Aug. 3, 2026
• Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, Agenda, Nov. 2, 2026