The Lake Arrowhead Service District Receives Federal Grant to Assist Community

Stafford County assisted the Lake Arrowhead neighborhood in applying for and receiving grants for construction costs for dam safety improvements required by The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Stafford's Board approved a grant from DCR's Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund for $500,000 to the Lake Arrowhead Service District for their dam spillway improvement projects.

"The cost of state-mandated safety upgrades to the dam in this older neighborhood was simply beyond what residents could manage on their own," said Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Meg Bohmke. "For years, we have partnered with these residents to find a viable solution, and through establishing a service district and securing this grant, we can now protect the dam's integrity and the safety of everyone in the community."

In 2017, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance establishing the Lake Arrowhead Service District in the Rock Hill District. This service district was established to provide funding, services, repairs, equipment, continuing maintenance and protections for the Lake Arrowhead Upper Dam.

"After many years of coordination, the small dam repairs have been completed, but there were significant barriers to completing the large dam repairs. The main issue was easement access which slowed this project down many years. We had to work to find a solution to access the property and to be able to make the dam repairs, which took a significant amount of time and creativity. Due to inflation, the cost of the project, due to the delay in access, was raised significantly, making our only option to save the large dam to search for and secure a grant to offset the cost difference," said Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch. "The alternative would have been a massive tax increase for the residents of Lake Arrowhead, which I would never support. So, I am thrilled to be able to announce that we have received a grant to finish this long-awaited project for Lake Arrowhead residents."

Service Districts are created when a group of residents or business owners come to the County to assist them in providing non-routine services to a certain geographical area. Residents of the Service District pay an additional tax to the County to cover the cost of services not usually provided by the County. The grant received by DCR offsets the increased construction cost of the dam improvements above the original budget.

The safety improvements to the dam at Lake Arrowhead will enhance residents' safety, well-being, and convenience for the properties located within the service district. The services provided will also allow the lake to continue as a public safety benefit, as it is a water source for fire protection. Stafford County Board of Supervisors is committed to helping its communities with necessary infrastructure improvements to provide safety to the residents who live in them.