LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 26, 2018) – Nineteen grant recipients were awarded $1.7 million through the Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant Program this year. This program is designed to support projects in Lexington that improve and protect water quality. Revenue from the Water Quality Management Fee supports this grant program.
Seven infrastructure grants will support projects to stabilize stream banks, reduce water runoff from parking lots, harvest rainwater and study how to prevent litter from reaching local creeks.
Another seven grants will support smaller projects that are managed by neighborhood groups to improve stormwater in their communities. These projects include improving water quality in ponds, streamside restorations and planting native vegetation and trees. These projects have a significant emphasis on educating neighbors through volunteer days and workshops.
The remaining five grant recipients are non-profit and educational institutions that will provide stormwater education throughout Lexington. Projects include educating neighborhoods about stream management, developing curricula for teachers, encouraging citizen water sampling and promoting the use of trees and native vegetation to reduce stormwater runoff.
The Water Quality Fees Board selected these recipients from a pool of applicants. Each project goes before the Urban County Council for final funding approval. Descriptions for each of these projects are attached to this press release.
Citizens who are interested in starting their own stormwater improvement projects should be on the lookout for 2019 applications, which will be released in February. Applications and more information about the program can be found at: www.lexingtonky.gov/stormwater-incentive-grant-program.
Class B (Infrastructure) Grants
- 150 Northland, LLC Grant Amount: $298,105.21
- Target Watershed: Cane Run
- The objectives of this project are to improve water quality and reduce stormwater runoff at 150 & 151 Northland Drive and North Limestone area. The project elements include retrofit (de-paving) of an existing parking lot into planted swales & native landscapes, and Bioretention cells (rain gardens). The project also has a stormwater education element through guided tours and permanent signage.
- Ashwood Townhomes of Laredo, Inc. Grant Amount: $10,000.00
- Target Watershed: West Hickman
- This project includes a feasibility study to evaluate and recommend potential water quality and quantity BMPs to mitigate issues with paving and yard flooding caused by aging and undersized stormwater infrastructure in the Laredo Drive, Orchard Hill, and Redcoach Trail communities. The project also includes an educational element incorporating a residence clean-up and stormwater education tour.
- Bluegrass Greensource Grant Amount: $202,202.60
- Target Watershed: Cane Run
- The objective of this project is to provide support for the design and construction of a permeable paver parking lot(approx. 11,087 SF), and rain water harvesting system as part of the new Bluegrass Greensource Environmental Education Center. A goal is for the site to become Kentucky’s first certified Sustainable SITES Initiative program location, incorporating such landscape features as rain gardens, pollinator gardens, raised-bed vegetable gardens, beehives, wetlands, green lawn care practices, and composting areas.
- Kentucky American Water Company (KAWC) Grant Amount: $261,208.40
- Target Watershed: West Hickman
- Grant funds to provide support to improve water quality in the stream and mitigate erosion and sediment transportation to Reservoir #1 (located at 2300 Richmond Rd.) through stream restoration. Project elements include a riparian buffer, riffles and pools, widening channel and flattening side slopes, and bioswale(s). The project also has an educational element that includes outreach activities as part of KAW’s routine tours and signage.
- Lexmark International, Inc. Grant Amount: $40,000.00
- Target Watershed: Cane Run
- Grant funds to provide support for a Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design of an in-Stream Floatable Trash Collection System (ISFTCS) for potential installation in Cane Run on Lexmark property. The project also incorporates education through a collaborative effort between Lexmark and the University of Kentucky (UK)[Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering (BAE) hydraulics laboratory] to host a student research project and stream cleanup days. The results of the student research project will be disseminated through Lexmark, UK, WLEX-TV, Bluegrass Greensource, and others.
- Pepper Distillery, LLC Grant Amount: $300,000.00
- Target Watershed: Town Branch
- The purpose of this project is to reduce the rate of stormwater run-off and improve the quality of stormwater prior to being introduced in the nearby Town Branch Creek. A major component of this project is the retrofit of multiple impermeable areas including a parking lot with permeable concrete pavers (approx. 14,925 s.f.), an existing gravel lot with a rain garden/infiltration area (approx. 770 s.f.), and an existing gravel lot with landscape islands/green space(approx. 9,426 s.f.). Stormwater education is incorporated through a field day event and stormwater educational signage at key locations.
- University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF) Grant Amount: $299,400.00
- Target Watershed: West Hickman Creek
- The purpose of this project is to restore the unnamed tributary (UT) to West Hickman Creek (stream and valley) in a similar manner of the previously restored section of Vaughn’s Branch on UK’s property. The project elements include a riparian buffer restoration; bio-infiltration swale; an enhanced hyporheic zone (designed to reduce nitrates through denitrification); the creation of an outdoor classroom for stormwater education to research and demonstrate water quality protection and water quantity reduction BMP’s.
Class A (Neighborhood) Grants
- Beaumont Residential, Inc. Grant Amount: $53,595.00
- Target Watershed: South Elkhorn
- The objective of this project is to improve water quality by eliminating issues of erosion and ponding from stormwater runoff along the existing swale and walking trail at Cardinal Run Park, located along the back yard of1240, 1244, and 1248 Sebring Way. The project elements include design and construction of stormwater control devices, a newly graded swale with an underdrain (infiltration trench), and an erosion control blanket. The project also incorporates stormwater education through mailers and flyers and permanent signage.
- Cardinal Valley Neighborhood Association, Inc. Grant Amount: $50,000.00
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run
- Grant Funds to provide support to address water quality and heat island concerns identified in the Oxford CircleRedevelopment Study. Project elements include the design and installation of five (5) rain gardens, planting of eight(8)trees, stormwater education, and permanent signage.
- Friends of Wolf Run, Inc. Grant Amount: $33,500.00
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run
- The purpose of the project is to support the stream buffer stewardship program for Wolf Run. The objectives are to create and maintain stream buffer demonstration projects and engage neighborhood leadership in maintaining stream buffers on both public and private property. Activities include conducting stream walks, clean up events, removal of invasive plant species, and planting of native vegetation along Wolf Run and its tributaries at various volunteer-selected stewardship sites. Furthermore, the project will provide leadership training and support, and educational outreach by communication with streamside property owners and installation of educational signage at stewardship sites.
- Gardenside Neighborhood Association Grant Amount: $8,985.00
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run
- The objective of this project is to improve water quality at 1835 Yorktown Road, also known as Gardenside Park.Elements of this project include a pollinator garden and stream bank stabilization along Wolf Run; continued stream buffer restoration, in relation to the Friends of Wolf Run grant and community education that incorporates a “Cues toCare” initiative, informational signs for the kiosk, and community workshops will also be included.
- Lansdowne-Merrick Neighborhood Association Corporation Grant Amount: $7,800.00
- Target Watershed: West Hickman
- The goal of this project is to improve water quality by initiating ecological restoration in Lansdowne-Merrick Park (i.e.,improving the balance between alien and native plantings). Project elements include effectiveness monitoring, the creation of 2 riparian zones, (Phase 1 & 2), a wetland zone, community education, and educational signage.
- Stonewall Equestrian Estates, Inc. Grant Amount: $80,000.00
- Target Watershed: South Elkhorn
- Grant funds will provide support to mitigate issues of erosion along a portion of the tributary flowing into SouthElkhorn at Stonewall Equestrian Estates. The project elements include design and construction of a stream restoration mechanism for bank stabilization, removal of invasive species, and plantings of native species.
- WGPL Neighborhood Association, Inc. Grant Amount: $11,575.00
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run
- The goal of this project is to mitigate the effects stormwater while improving water quality and increasing the tree canopy in the WGPL Neighborhood. The project elements included a Tree Planting and Maintenance Training Event for homeowners, Tree Planting Day event, stormwater education, and signage.
Class B (Education) Grants
- The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Lexington, DBA, St. Raphael the Archangel Church Grant Amount: $12,000.00
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run and Countywide
- The purpose of the project is to educate the community by developing “Torbit Trace”, a nature trail at the rear of St.Raphael the Archangel Church. Stormwater education will combine signage, in the form of way-finder markers alongthe trail with a website that will be developed to incorporate educational videos on stormwater management,improving stream quality, best management practices, natural filter techniques, and invasive plant management.
- Living Arts and Science Center, Inc. (LASC) Grant Amount $30,795.00
- Target Watershed: Town Branch and Countywide\
- The purpose of the project is to develop and present additional curriculum, disseminate educational content utilizing established programs and LASC’s newly constructed & renovated facility and grounds. For the fiscal year 2018, grant funds will support programs such as WOW – Wonder on Wheels, Science Explorers, Urban Ecology, Rain GardenEducation Workshops, and ongoing educational displays. LASC anticipates reaching over 20,000 students, teachers,and family members through their various programs, regular classes, and workshops. They also anticipate reaching additional audiences through field trips and activities at LASC, on their website, through social media, and in handouts.
- R&N Group, LLC Grant Amount: $3,924.90
- Target Watershed: Wolf Run
- The purpose of this project is to gain a better understanding of the impact of the newly designed UGF structures at1051 Red Mile Road. Project elements include stormwater sampling, lab analysis, creation and dissemination of materials based results from stormwater sampling through mail and flyers.
- Tates Creek High School (Fayette County Public Schools) Grant Amount: $4,900.00
- Target Watershed: West Hickman and Countywide
- This project involves the design and installation of a rain garden to educate science students, grades 9-12, by incorporating the rain garden into the environmental education curriculum. The project will also educate the general public through workshops, presentations, an environmental fair, and informational brochures.
- University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF) Grant Amount $34,954.00
- Target Watershed: Countywide
- The purpose of this project is to educate the public about how to improve tree health and care and the connections between the tree canopy and stormwater abatement. The project incorporates several initiatives, including, “Train-the-Trainer” workshops, the “Adopt-A-Tree” Program, and mulching and tree care event available to the public.
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