Williamstown Lake project should happen

U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Hebron, has his priorities in order in making the Williamstown Lake project in Grant County one of his funding goals.

The latest Congressional spending bill, passed Thursday, includes $500,000 for planning and design of the project.

I've heard several presentations on this during the past few years, and the pitch is compelling on both the need to expand the size of the lake and the expected payback. The lake already is a weekend playground for boaters from throughout the region. The enlarged lake that a new dam will create will spur significant development that shouldn't require tax subsidies and put more money into treasuries through increased property values.

Grant and Pendleton county officials say that something has to be done to repair or replace the existing dam, which will fail at some point and is the source of drinking water for a large part of that area, which only will grow in coming years. Total project cost is estimated at $30 million.

Here's a link to our story from Friday. To learn more about the project, click here.