MWCD Awards Over $750,000 in Grants Locally to Improve Water Quality
November 30, 2020
Members of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) Board of Directors approved $748,450.37 in grants to ten local organizations at the November 20, 2020 meeting.
The grant program, Partners in Watershed Management (PWM), provides maintenance assessment funds to assist local organizations to implement water quality projects, flood reduction and mitigation programs, and watershed education efforts throughout the 18 counties within the MWCD. Since its inception in 2009 this program has provided over $9.5 million in grant funding for 135 projects.
“There is a tremendous need across the watershed to provide funding to communities, universities and other conservation organizations for projects that protect citizens,” said Craig Butler, MWCD Executive Director. “These projects help to prevent costly flooding, minimize soil erosion and nutrient loss from agricultural operations, assist with upgrading essential community services, and preserve and rehabilitate sensitive lands for public use. 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 is highly competitive with a multi-step review process to ensure the best 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.
Applications for the next grant award cycle are due to MWCD by close of business on September 1, 2021. Prospective applicants 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 lgilland@mwcd.org. Further information about the PWM Program including can be found at MWCD.Org.
The 2021 Partners in Watershed Management Grant Recipients are listed below:
Applicant | County | Project Title | Project Cost | Amount Requested | Amount Recommended |
Western Reserve Land Conservancy | Richland
| Black Forest Conservation Land Acquisition | $3,930,000 | $165,000 | $165,000 |
Youngstown State University | Carroll and Harrison | Atwood and Tappan Reservoir Nutrient Loading Study | $84,012 | $48,562 | $48,562* |
Rural Action | Coshocton | Walhonding Water Quality Study | $56,939.50 | $28,483.50 | $28,483.50 |
Ashland County SWCD | Ashland/Holmes/ Richland | Cover Crop Equipment to Reduce Soil Loss | $54,789.60 | $46,600 | $46,600 |
Coshocton County Engineer | Coshocton | Flood Warning Signage | $24,618.36 | $19,694.70 | $19,694.70 |
City of Green | Summit | Boettler Park Rain Garden/ Water Quality Education | $16,150 | $14,025 | $14,025 |
City of Mount Vernon | Knox | Kokosing Riverbank Restoration | $1,082,567.92 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
Coshocton County Engineer | Coshocton | CR 410 Box Culvert Upgrade at Will Creek Reservoir | $89,086.46 | $71,269.17 | $71,269.17 |
Ohio FFA Camp Muskingum | Carroll | Sanitary Sewer System Relining | $186,347 | $175,347 | $129,097 |
Warwick Township | Tuscarawas | Community Flood Study | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
*Payable with have in FY21 and half in FY22 | Subtotal | $5,574,511 | $818,981.37 | $772,731.37 | |
