The Warren County Board of Supervisors recently voted to accept more than $1.5 million in federal funding to repair seven sites damaged in the March 24 storm and tornado event.

Listed in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Group Nine, the sites are located along Oak Ridge, Southern, Whatley, Old Jackson and Roy Young roads in Warren County. County Engineer Brian Robbins said Tuesday the funds, which total $1,558,637.13, will be used for repair of erosion at a total of seven sites.

“Some of (the erosion) was caused by the storm, and some of it was exacerbated by the storm because there were small drainage issues,” Robbins said, adding that an estimated start date for repairs is not yet known. “This is the first step in the process; just the board saying, ‘When funding becomes available, we would like to take advantage of it.’ It could be months away, or we could get a call within a week saying funding is available.”

The storm event on March 24 devastated much of Mississippi and spawned large tornadoes that leveled towns like Rolling Fork and Silver City north of Warren County, as well as the town of Amory. While Warren County’s damage from the storm was not catastrophic, the county was still declared eligible for assistance by NRCS.

The Board of Supervisors approved the funds unanimously at its Oct. 16 meeting, with Board President Kelle Barfield saying, “We repeat: That’s 100 percent federal funding.

“The Board of Supervisors is always pleased to work with state and federal agencies for the benefit of Warren County.”