An Ohio environmental conservation program promoted using native Athens plants to reduce flooding and water pollution at yesterday's Athens City Council Meeting.
If approved by council, the Southeastern Ohio Rain Gardens program would be the newest addition in an array of programs provided by the Athens County Soil and Water Conservation District that benefit the Athens area.
The district, which is run by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, currently receives $12,000 per year from Athens to provide services from education to land surveys. In 2009, the state gave Athens 80 percent of the $12,000 for the district, but this year the state is only giving the city 53 percent, said Teresa Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the district.
The program would use plants to collect rainwater and use it as a resource to reduce flooding, filter pollutants, attract pollinators and decrease storm water runoff, she said.
Some possible places for the rain gardens in Athens are at the U.S. Route 33 interchange and on East State Street, where water flows downward and drains, said Elahu Gosney, D-at large.
It seems like a pretty sensible way to eliminate the problem of flooding in the area
said Gosney, the chairman of the council's environment committee.
The Soil and Water Conservation District also provides opportunities for Athens-area students to get involved in environmental projects in the county. It sponsors several scholarships for Athens students and is accepting applications now, Caldwell said.
One scholarship offers $500 for an Athens High School senior who plans to major in natural resources or agriculture. The other scholarship provides money for a student to attend a forestry camp, she said.
Similar programs are successful in other parts of the state, including Columbus, she said.
The Ohio State University, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) and the Ohio Department of Transportation headquarters use rain gardens, Caldwell said
An informational meeting about the program will take place today from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Soil and Water Conservation District office at 69 S. Plains Road in Athens. 1
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Alex Stuckey
