Watershed Partnership Awarded More Than $1 Million in Grants

The Illinois River Watershed Partnership has been awarded more than $1 million in grants to fund green infrastructure and natural water filtration projects in the Illinois River Watershed in Benton and Washington counties.

The grants total $1,028,736, according to a news release.

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission awarded $586,000 for a Green Infrastructure Development Project, and a Low-Impact Development Demonstration and Education Project.

The state Natural Resources Commission administers the grant program, which is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program.

“We are happy to continue our partnership with the IRWP and to assist in the efforts to enhance education, outreach and demonstrate implementation techniques to improve water quality within the Illinois River Watershed,” program director Tony Ramick said in the release. “The work and projects being implemented are significant, have been effective and will continue to be in the effort to enhance water quality. We look forward to another successful project from the IRWP, participation from watershed stakeholders and the continued improvement of water quality.”

The three-year grant award also includes $442,000 in matching funds from the Illinois River Watershed Partnership’s sponsors, including the Walton Family Foundation , Wal-Mart, Inc., AT&T, Del Monte Foods, Crafton Tull, Waste Management, Water Tech, McKee Foods, AEP-SWEPCO, Southwestern Energy, Cargill, Simmons, George’s Inc. and Tyson Foods.  Partners in this grant also include the cities of Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, and Cave Springs.

Dr. Delia Haak, executive director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, said the two projects are designed to demonstrate the environmental benefits of natural water filtration while educating the public about best management practices for urban land use and land cover.

“These projects help to fulfill our mission of improving the integrity of the watershed, as well as educating those who want to take positive actions to preserve, protect and restore the watershed,” Haak said in the release.

The Illinois River Watershed comprises 758 square miles within Benton and Washington counties. 

Of the grant award, $526,315 will be used to implement green infrastructure elements at five trailhead locations along the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway. The Greenway is a 36-mile, paved hiking and biking trail from Bella Vista to Fayetteville and is slated for completion in early 2014.

As part of the Razorback Greenway project, interpretive signs will be installed at the trailheads in Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville to build awareness and educate people about the green infrastructure elements. The Illinois River Watershed Partnership also will host educational meetings in each of the cities through a partnership with Alta Greenways Planning and Design, the architects of Razorback Greenway.

The second project, funded by $502,421, will implement low-impact development features at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership’s new “Watershed Sanctuary at the Lake” in Cave Springs. The Watershed Sanctuary is on 30 acres along Arkansas 112 in Benton County, with a cave that is home to the largest population of Ozark Cavefish and a large population of gray bats, both on the endangered and threatened species list.  The Sanctuary is also home to the rare purple trillium plant and a diverse urban forest.

The low impact development and education project is designed to provide stakeholders with knowledge and appreciation of clean water within a natural environment and protection of sensitive ecosystems using low-impact development. The project will improve water quality, and serve as demonstration for what homeowners, business owners, urban and rural residents can do on their property to improve and protect our natural resources.

Both projects follow recommendations from the Upper Illinois River Watershed-Based Management Plan approved in November 2012 by EPA, which the Illinois River Watershed Partnership uses to define strategies to pursue best management practices to improve the watershed.

The projects are expected to be completed by August 2016.