Photo Provided Previous Partners in Watershed Management Program Recipient, Youngstown State University partnered with Harrison and Carroll Soil and Water Conservation District to gather flow data to develop a model to investigate the critical sources of nutrient and sediment sources in Atwood Lake and Tappan Lake Watersheds.

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio — Members of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Board of Directors approved up to $1.1 million in grants to 10 organizations at their meeting held Nov. 18.

The Partners in Watershed Management Program, approved by the board in June 2009, provides funds to assist communities, political subdivisions, government agencies and not-for-profit groups in implementing water quality projects, flood reduction and mitigation programs, and watershed education efforts throughout the 18 counties within the MWCD. Since its inception in 2009 this program has provided over $12.2 million in grant funding for 177 projects.

Twenty applications totaling over $2.5 million for funding assistance were received in the 2022-23 grant cycle. All applications were initially reviewed by MWCD staff with many applications going through an independent technical review.

“We again are pleased to invest our resources in these very important projects across the district that match with our growing emphasis on conservation,” said Craig Butler, MWCD executive director. “These projects help to prevent costly flooding, minimize soil erosion and nutrient loss from agricultural operations, assist with upgrading essential community services, and preserve and rehabilitate sensitive lands for public use.”

The grant program is highly competitive with a multi-step review process to ensure the best projects receive grant dollars. All applications are reviewed by MWCD staff and a select group of volunteer industry experts in the fields of dam safety/flood control, floodplain management, green best management practices, and watershed management/water quality, prior to the chief engineer and chief of conservation recommending applications for approval to the executive director, and the board of directors.

Applications for the next grant award cycle are due to MWCD by close of business on Sept. 1, 2023. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact MWCD to discuss their projects at least 30 days prior to the application deadline to learn more about the application process and have their applications preliminarily screened for eligibility. Contact Lynn Gilland, administrative specialist, at 330-556-4817 or by email at lgilland@mwcd.org. Further information about the PWM Program can be found at MWCD.org.

One local 2022-23 Partners in Watershed Management Grant applicant is being considered: Stillwater Watershed, a partnership between Belmont and Harrison counties, expected to cost $200,000. They applied for $100,000 in funding.