Tennessee American Water has announced that six watershed-related projects across the Chattanooga Valley will receive financial support through the company’s annual Environmental Grant Program.
This year, Tennessee American Water awarded over $10,000 to local organizations within its service area that are engaged in sustainability projects to improve, restore, or protect watersheds.
“As a leader in environmental stewardship, Tennessee American Water is helping to move our state toward a more sustainable future,” said Lori Stenzel, Manager, Water Quality & Environmental Compliance. “The environmental grant program connects us with our environmental heroes and their innovative projects to improve watersheds, parks, and environmental education. We are proud to contribute to their efforts.”
Two of the grants support sites for the October 1 Tennessee River Rescue, an annual event which provides volunteers the opportunity to help clean up litter from our creeks, streams and the Tennessee River. Tennessee American Water encourages residents in Hamilton and Marion Counties to sign up for a site, including the Reflection Riding and City of East Ridge sites of Black and Lookout Creeks and South Chickamauga and Spring Creeks, respectively. Details about Tennessee River Rescue can be found on the website http://tennesseeriverrescue.org/.
The complete list of 2022 Tennessee American Water Environmental Grant recipients are:
- Chattanooga Zoo will complete the biosphere nursery for newly hatched Hellbender salamanders and adjoining education classroom in the Hiwassee Hellbender Research Facility. The classroom provides a space for school groups, Zoo campers, etc. to learn about Hellbenders and their relationship to clean water as environmental indicators of clean source water.
- WaterWays will create a Green Team of 10 Lookout Mountain Conservancy interns from The Howard School. The interns will learn about stormwater impact and mitigation through green infrastructure design and maintenance. Students will implement learning with the installation of a rain garden or other green infrastructure on the school's campus and in the South Chattanooga neighborhood.
- The Conservation Kid will expand the number of monofilament receptacles at fishing piers in the Chattanooga Valley. The monofilament receptacles will provide proper disposal of excess fishing lines to help protect the watershed and aquatic life. The disposed of fishing lines will be removed and recycled.
- Lookout Mountain Conservancy will install a grate system to minimize the flooding, allow for native plants to be planted, create a trail to expand the outdoor classroom and create a new space accessible to the community. The community space will be open for residents to meet and learn more about the flooding in the area and advocating for climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center will lead a volunteer-driven clean-up of Lookout and Black Creeks. The clean-up will involve 100 volunteers in a day-long restoration project that will provide a hands-on community-based, environmental experience for local citizens to build their knowledge and interest in watershed restoration.
- City of East Ridge will utilize the grant to remove debris and trash from Spring and South Chickamauga Creeks in order to improve water flow and quality and allow for responsible recreational use. In areas where the bank is eroding, the City of East Ridge will use natural materials to create bank stabilization. This is an ongoing effort between the City and volunteer community members who work together to help protect local source water.