The TenneSEA (Student Environmental Alliance), the city of Chattanooga Water Quality Program and the Hamilton County Water Quality Program are launching My Tennessee, a voluntary program to educate and empower homeowners to address stormwater runoff on their property.
Managing stormwater runoff is the first step toward reducing water pollution and stream bank erosion, said officials. These three organizations, with the assistance from a Lyndhurst Foundation grant, will provide homeowners with tools to evaluate their yards and find solutions to stormwater runoff issues.
Through the My Tennessee program, homeowners obtain knowledge about the benefits of rain gardens, native plants, pollinator gardens, and other practices to decrease stormwater runoff from their property and enhance pollinator habitats.
The My Tennessee partners plan an official launch on Monday, March 19, at 4 p.m. and will take place at the home of Jenny Peet and Tony Billingsley in the Spring Valley subdivision. After completing a property assessment, they have added native plants, provided stream bank protection, and constructed a rain garden on their property, and will receive the first official My Tennessee certification award.
The community is invited to attend a reception in their yard and tour the practices implemented that will reduce stormwater impacts to Mountain Creek.
Residents interested in the My Tennessee program, who wish to have a free property assessment on how to become a My Tennessee certified home, may contact TenneSEA at 667-1386 or mytennessee@caribbean-sea.org.