The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has awarded $296,090 in Stream and Wetland Restoration Grants for two projects involving Stringers Branch in Hamilton County and a third for a Nonconnah Creek project in Memphis.
The grants include $245,000 for Hamilton County Development Services for a project at Stringers Branch at Redding Road Park, $31,090 for enhancing water quality in Stringers Branch by the nonprofit group WaterWays, and $20,000 for the non-profit organization The Works for habitat restoration planning along Nonconnah Creek.
“The Stream and Wetland Restoration Grants program identifies projects that will restore natural resources in our state, and we are pleased to announce these grants today,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers, “We commend the organizations for seeking these grants, and we look forward to the improvements that will come from this process.”
"Hamilton County is rich in natural resources, and it is important for Tennessee to invest in our streams and waterways to preserve these natural resources," said Senator Bo Watson, R-Hixson. “I appreciate TDEC for these grants to clean up Stringers Branch, enhance water quality, and make improvements in the city of Red Bank.”
“This grant will restore Stringers Branch to a place citizens can be proud of and enjoy,” said Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain. “I’m thankful this area will be protected and maintained for many years to come. I thank TDEC for their commitment to ensuring Tennessee’s ecosystem will always be taken care of.”
The grants are administered by TDEC’s Division of Water Resources. The goals of the program include working together to restore impaired streams and degraded wetlands; encouraging the exchange of information, coordination, and planning in such projects; assisting with the application of science to achieve strategies for watershed planning; and focusing on programs with collaborative initiatives.
The Stringers Branch project at Redding Road Park will restore approximately 250 linear feet of concrete channel on Stringers Branch by shaping and naturalizing the channel with sloping banks and a stream bed habitat, while adding approximately 50 feet to the stream. The project is on property owned by the city of Red Bank. The restored stream will be placed into a conservation easement for permanent stream protection. Since the stream is entirely concrete with little to no resource value, the naturalization and habitat creation should result in water quality improvements.
The WaterWays project will enhance water quality in Stringers Branch through removal of invasive species, streambank stabilization, native plantings, and litter removal. The project will contribute to improved water quality and comes with a monitoring plan to assess the effectiveness over time.
The grant for The Works in Memphis benefits stream, wetland, and riparian areas of Nonconnah Creek for more than 280 acres composed of three separate sections. Belz Enterprises, a commercial and industrial real estate developer, is prepared to transfer land to The Works, which will protect the land through easements and deed restrictions.
Information on the program can be found at this link.
Grant funding through the Stream and Wetland Restoration Grant Program is available to nonprofit corporations, state agencies, federal agencies, and municipal entities. The program is funded by the recovery of damages from violations of the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act.