MWCD Approves More than $900,000 in Grants to Help Prevent Flooding and Improve Water Quality
Members of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) Board of Directors recently approved more than $900,000 in grants to eight organizations for new projects that will help protect against flooding and improve water quality in the Muskingum Watershed.
“There is a tremendous need across our region for efforts that help defend against flooding and protect our water quality from pollution and soil erosion. The MWCD engages in a significant amount of that work ourselves but we can’t do it all, which is why we partner with other organizations in our region that share this mission. Together we’re protecting people and property from flooding and preserving our region’s water quality,” said Craig Butler, MWCD Executive Director. “MWCD is proud to be a sponsor of these projects as they support our core mission and allow us to give back to the communities that are in our backyard.”
The grant program, Partners in Watershed Management (PWM), provides grants for projects throughout the 18 counties within the MWCD. Since its inception in 2009, the program has provided over $13.1 million in grant funding for 185 projects. The program is highly competitive with a multi-step review process to ensure that highly effective projects receive grant dollars. All applications are reviewed by MWCD staff and a select group of volunteer industry experts prior to the Chief Engineer and Chief of Conservation recommending applications for approval to the Executive Director and the Board of Directors.
This year’s projects are:
| APPLICANT | COUNTY | PROJECT TITLE | DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT |
| Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District | Ashland | Small Scale No-Till Seeder | New motorized seeder for use by area farmers to plant cover crops in watershed buffer zones and other areas. | $13,130 |
| Ohio State University | Coshocton | Pomerene Riparian Corridor Restoration | Restore 11 acres of riverside forest and grassland along a 0.5 mile section of headwater stream to assess and improve water quality | $72,701 |
| Youngstown State University | Harrison | Tappan Lake Modeling for Algal Bloom Reduction | Study of internal and local issues contributing to algal blooms in Tappan Lake | $60,363 |
| South Licking Watershed Conservancy District | Licking, Fairfield, Perry | Flood Damage Reduction Planning Study | Planning study for flood damage reduction in South Fork Licking River watershed to benefit approx. 370,000 residents in Licking, Fairfield and Perry counties. | $200,000 |
| Licking Township | Muskingum | Cranberry Lane Culvert Replacement | Replace 100 ft aging culvert to stop soil erosion from stormwater | $220,236 |
| Noble County Engineer | Noble | Shenandoah Flooding Corridor Mitigation Study | Develop strategies for reducing stormwater flooding along SR 146 and 147 near Shenandoah Schools to help avoid frequent road closures | $58,860 |
| City of Barberton | Summit | S. Barberton Flood Mitigation Snyder SCM Construction | Create a natural wetland on city land to absorb stormwater in order to reduce flooding, erosion and pollution runoff in the upper Tuscarawas River. | $274,725 |
| City of Marietta | Washington | Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategic Plan Development | Plan designs for streambank stabilization along Sugar Creek-Duck Creek and Devol Run-Muskingum River to address erosion, flooding and water quality issues. | $25,000 |
| TOTAL | $925,015.00 | |||
Organizations interested in future rounds of funding are encouraged to contact MWCD to discuss their projects at least 30 days prior to the application deadline to learn more about the application process and have their applications preliminarily screened for eligibility. Please contact Lynn Gilland, Administrative Specialist at 330-556-4817 or by email at [email protected]. Further information about the PWM Program including can be found at www.MWCD.org.
