The Anne Arundel Watershed Protection and Restoration Program (WPRP) and the Chesapeake Bay Trust announce the recipients of three grants for watershed restoration projects in Anne Arundel County that will improve water quality in Broad Creek, Bacon Ridge Branch Stream, and Whitehall Creek. The three grants were awarded to two Anne Arundel County nonprofits with individual awards ranging from $136,404 to $370,746.
According to Erik Michelsen, WPRP Administrator, the County relies on the Watershed Restoration Grant Program not only to help meet its water pollution obligations, but also as an outreach opportunity, “These grant projects are a fantastic way to get the local community involved in a restoration project. Our nonprofit partners engage the community from the beginning planning stages of a project all the way through construction. It’s great to see a community come together to solve a problem.”
Grants totaling $671,272 were awarded to support water quality restoration projects that will reduce the amount of pollutants entering Anne Arundel County waterways during and after storm events. This year, one-third of the applications were approved. The awarded projects include an innovative stream restoration project, a ravine stabilization and step pool conveyance system, and installing stormwater management practices at a historical African-American church. This last project, located on the grounds of the Asbury-Broadneck United Methodist Church in Annapolis, will be completed in partnership with Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks. The project will upgrade and improve existing stormwater swales at Broadneck Park to rain gardens which will mitigate upland stormwater runoff from running onto the church’s property as well as other neighboring properties.
“We are thrilled to collaborate on this project,” said County Executive, Steven R. Schuh. “The improved rain gardens will not only be beautiful, but will provide habitat for birds and other pollinators, enhancing the experience for park visitors. Plus, our county parks are perfect venues for educating county residents on the value and importance of stormwater management projects for improving water quality and our environment.”
All of the projects take a low-impact design approach to reducing the amount of sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants running into County waterways. The grantees will work in the South River and Severn River watersheds.
“These projects are so important not just for water quality improvement but to engage residents and communities in on-the-ground work,” said Dr. Jana Davis, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “And it’s working: We can see that our grantees’ efforts are paying off. The Trust is thrilled to partner with the County to enable local nonprofit organizations to accomplish projects like these that make measurable, visible improvements to our environment.”
Awardees of the Anne Arundel County Watershed Restoration Grant Program include:
Broad Creek—Department of Health Stream Restoration Phase II
Grant Amount: $370,746
To restore a 750 linear foot highly unstable, stormwater driven gully that flows into Broad Creek. (Grantee organization: South River Federation.)
Bacon Ridge Branch Stream Restoration
Grant Amount: $164,122
To restore 4,350 linear feet of eroding stream using a low-impact design while reconnecting the stream to the floodplain and enhancing wildlife habitat. This project builds on previous restoration projects at this site. (Grantee organization: South River Federation.)
Asbury-Broadneck United Methodist Church
Grant Amount: $136,404
To restore 420 linear feet of eroding ephemeral channel, reducing pollutants to Whitehall Creek, while providing flood protection to a historic African-American cemetery at the site, with improvements to existing stormwater management practices at nearby county-owned Broadneck Park to mitigate upland stormwater runoff. (Grantee Organization: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.)
