DRYDEN, NY (607NewsNow) – New York is supporting an aquatic connectivity project in Tompkins County.

The DEC has awarded $1,928,800 to the Tompkins County Highway Department for work in the Town of Dryden.

Crews will replace a set of side-by-side arch culverts that are causing water flow problems and habitat degradation in Virgil Creek. State officials say the new single arch design will restore natural stream alignment, improve sediment transport, and improve passage for aquatic organisms.

The money comes from the DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program.

“Investments from New York State’s Water Quality Improvement Project program support critical infrastructure that allows communities, residents, and businesses to thrive,” said DEC Region 7 Director Dereth Glance.

The funding is part of over $31 million for water quality projects in NYS DEC Region 7, which includes Tompkins, Cortland, Tioga, Cayuga, Broome, Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison Counties. The Tompkins County Highway Department received a similar grant in this round of funding for an aquatic connectivity project in the Town of Groton.