UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources 1
to evaluate and report on the repair or replacement of the Great Crossing Dam and 2
declaring an emergency. 3
WHEREAS, the Great Crossing Dam is a low-head dam in Georgetown, Kentucky, 4
located on North Elkhorn Creek near Great Crossing Park; and 5
WHEREAS, on May 5, 2021, Eduardo Ponce lost his life in a drowning accident 6
while kayaking at the Great Crossing Dam due to abnormally high waters; and 7
WHEREAS, 15 months later, on August 7, 2022, Joe Wilkerson also lost his life in 8
a drowning accident while rafting at the Great Crossing Dam, also due to abnormally 9
high waters; and 10
WHEREAS, the Great Crossing Dam has been the center of controversy for quite 11
some time, specifically with regard to whether the dam should be renovated or removed 12
entirely; and 13
WHEREAS, in its current state, the Great Crossing Dam is a hazard to the local and 14
tourist population of Scott County; and 15
WHEREAS, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources owns the Great 16
Crossing Dam; and 17
WHEREAS, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has proposed 18
removing the Great Crossing Dam due to the dangers it presents; and 19
WHEREAS, removal of the Great Crossing Dam may cause irrigation issues and 20
have an adverse impact on water recreation and fishing in the area; and 21
WHEREAS, the members of the General Assembly recognize the need to preserve 22
and maintain the dams and waterways of the Commonwealth, while also prioritizing the 23
safety of its citizens, 24
NOW, THEREFORE, 25
Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 26
Section 1. The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is hereby directed to 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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delay the demolition of the Great Crossing Dam until after December 31, 2027, if funds 1
are not approved and appropriated for replacement of the dam by the General Assembly, 2
the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Scott County Fiscal Court, the 3
Georgetown City Council, or other sources before June 1, 2027. 4
Section 2. The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is directed to: 5
(1) Hold quarterly, public, in-person meetings in Scott County, beginning on the 6
effective date of this Resolution and continuing through December 31, 2026, to seek 7
public input on the future of the Great Crossing Dam and update the public on the latest 8
findings related to the project from the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources or its 9
designees; 10
(2) Provide monthly written updates to the Scott County Fiscal Court and the 11
Georgetown City Council until December 31, 2027; 12
(3) Present in-person updates to the Scott County Fiscal Court and the 13
Georgetown City Council twice annually until December 31, 2027; 14
(4) Solicit bids to make required structural repairs and add safety features and 15
warning devices, such as signage, fencing, and buoys to the existing Great Crossing Dam 16
by August 1, 2025, in order to mitigate the risk of injury and loss of human life. The 17
department shall report all bids to the Scott County Fiscal Court, the Georgetown City 18
Council, the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, the Budget 19
Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental 20
Protection, and the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government by September 15, 21
2025; and 22
(5) Solicit bids to replace the Great Crossing Dam, including the costs to add 23
safety features and warning devices, such as signage, fencing, and buoys to mitigate the 24
risk of injury and loss of human life, by October 1, 2025, The department shall report all 25
bids to the Scott County Fiscal Court, the Georgetown City Council, the Interim Joint 26
Committee on Appropriations and Revenue, the Budget Review Subcommittee on 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Protection, and the Interim Joint 1
Committee on Local Government by November 15, 2025. 2
Section 3. (1) The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, or its 3
contracted designee, is directed to conduct a study and report its findings to the Scott 4
County Fiscal Court, the Georgetown City Council, the Interim Joint Committee on 5
Appropriations and Revenue, the Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic 6
Development, Tourism, and Environmental Protection, and the Interim Joint Committee 7
on Local Government by December 31, 2025, on the consequences of demolishing the 8
Great Crossing Dam for the following: 9
(a) Impact on current water quality; 10
(b) Impact on upstream and downstream pools of water; 11
(c) Impact of increased sewer discharge from the new Georgetown Municipal 12
Water and Sewer Company's treatment facility; 13
(d) Impact on pedestrian, motor vehicle, and marine traffic at the Great Crossing 14
Dam and the adjoining county park; 15
(e) Economic and socioeconomic impact on residential neighborhoods and 16
sources of outdoor recreation, including but not limited to fishing, hunting, boating, 17
kayaking, and golfing; 18
(f) Economic impact and feedback from small businesses located in Scott 19
County, including but not limited to homeowners associations, restaurants, golf courses, 20
fuel stations, grocery stores, and outdoor stores such as bait and tackle shops; 21
(g) Impact on traffic on Robinson Lane, also known as Elkview Road, and 22
Robinson Dam due to increased congestion; 23
(h) Impact on agricultural community upstream and downstream of the Great 24
Crossing Dam; and 25
(i) Impact on fish population and aquatic wildlife upstream and downstream of 26
the Great Crossing Dam. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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(2) The report required by subsection (1) of this section shall also include: 1
(a) Any safety measures that could be constructed for the current and potential 2
new Great Crossing Dam to prevent access to foot traffic on top of the dam, upstream and 3
downstream warning signage, and devices such as buoys; 4
(b) The identification of any restricted funds and funding sources within the 5
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources that could be utilized to make necessary 6
repairs to the Great Crossing Dam, or any costs associated with replacing the dam, 7
including but not limited to design, engineering, and construction; and 8
(c) The identification of any federal or state grant opportunities to assist with 9
funding to repair or replace the Great Crossing Dam. 10
Section 4. Before completion of the study directed in Section 3 of this 11
Resolution, the Department of Fish and Wildlife or its designee is directed to consult with 12
the following entities regarding the repair or replacement of the Great Crossing Dam, and 13
include its findings within its report as required in Section 3 of this Resolution: 14
(1) Scott County Fiscal Court; 15
(2) Office of the Scott County Judge/Executive; 16
(3) Scott County Farm Bureau; 17
(4) Georgetown City Council; 18
(5) Office of the Mayor of the City of Georgetown; 19
(6) Office of the Scott County Sheriff; 20
(7) Scott County Emergency Management Services; 21
(8) Scott County Fire Department; 22
(9) Canewood Homeowners Association; 23
(10) Scott County Conservation District Office; 24
(11) Scott County Extension Office; 25
(12) Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Company Board of Commissioners; 26
(13) Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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(14) Georgetown-Scott County Parks and Recreation Board; 1
(15) Georgetown/Scott County Tourism Commission; 2
(16) Scott County United; 3
(17) Kentucky Bass Federation; 4
(18) Kentucky Waterways Alliance; 5
(19) League of Kentucky Sportsmen; 6
(20) Kentucky Association of Counties; 7
(21) Kentucky League of Cities; 8
(22) Elkhorn Creek Chapter of Ducks Unlimited; 9
(23) All adjacent property owners upstream of Great Crossing Dam to the dam 10
located at the coordinates 38°13'08.7"N 84°33'47.2"W, near Peninsula Park, and 11
downstream through coordinates 38°14'24.7"N 84°41'38.0"W at White Oak Road; 12
(24) Energy and Environment Cabinet; 13
(25) Transportation Cabinet; 14
(26) United States Department of Agriculture; 15
(27) Kentucky Infrastructure Authority; 16
(28) Department for Local Government; 17
(29) Office of Congressman Andy Barr; 18
(30) Office of United States Senator Mitch McConnell; and 19
(31) Office of United States Senator Rand Paul. 20
Section 5. The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is permitted to 21
contract with outside contractors for resources required to complete the study required in 22
this Section 3 of this Resolution. 23
Section 6. Whereas the decision whether to repair or replace the Great Crossing 24
Dam is of critical importance to its surrounding community and the people of the 25
Commonwealth, and should only be undertaken after careful consideration and study 26
involving all affected stakeholder groups, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1781
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Resolution takes effect upon its passage and approval by the Governor or upon its 1
otherwise becoming a law. 2