Greensboro Is Awarded $800,000 Grant from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund for a "High-Tech" Wetland 

The Storm Water Services Division of Environmental Services is proceeding towards the construction of a regional stormwater floodplain treatment wetland project. This project represents a key element in a comprehensive water resource protection effort. The wetland site will be created near Interstate 40 and Freeman Mill Road, which consists of floodplain bottomland along South Buffalo Creek. The property to be acquired for the project is approximately 40 acres in size, 20 of which would be dedicated wetlands.

The purpose of the project is to improve the quality of the urban stormwater carried by South Buffalo Creek by temporarily holding water in a created wetland environment on the floodplain. The facility would deploy a gated water control structure at the downstream boundary of the area. The gates would normally be left open and would only close to catch the pollutants carried with the first flush of a rainfall.

The wetland area will also serve our community as a natural environmental education area. Recreational trails with educational signs are being considered as an enhancement to the project.

The Clean Water Management Trust Fund is contributing up to $800,000 of an anticipated total project cost of $960,000. The Storm Water Services utility fee will fund the remainder of the costs. Roy Carlton, Business Manager for the Clean Water Management Trust Fund stated "We really liked the water quality benefits associated with this project." Shastri Annambhotla with Greensboro's Storm Water Services complemented that statement saying "This wetland should improve water quality downstream of this facility and it is our hope that the community and schools will enjoy using it for education and recreation. We believe that this "high-tech" wetland is a great combination of nature and nurture, and we hope that this will be one of several water quality improvement projects funded by the Clean Water Management Trust Fund."

Storm Water Services has conducted one public information meeting and will hold an additional meeting. Construction will begin by August of 2001 and should be completed by May of 2002.