4/14/04

Town Receives Grant to Restore Waterway
$200,000 Grant First Step to Repairing Remington Creek

The Town of Holly Springs was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the NC Division of Water Resources to repair a creek that flows through the Remington subdivision. During heavy rains, the creek floods and erodes neighboring property, absorbing pollutants and carrying them downstream to Bass Lake and, eventually, to the Neuse River.

The Town is seeking additional grant money from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund for the project, which would involve restoring a natural route for the creek and creating a floodplain, an area that would control the larger volumes of water flowing through the creek during storms with heavy rains, preventing the floodwater from damaging nearby homes and structures.

This project will be the first of its kind in Holly Springs because the Town typically abstains from repairing and maintaining drainage on private property.

“This is the first time the Town is ever doing something like this,” said Heather Keefer, the Town’s environmental inspector. “One of the main reasons the Town Council said they would help is because private land owners can’t apply for these types of grants.”

Keefer added that Town officials also supported the project because it will prevent flooding and the subsequent damage to homes, and it will benefit the environment.

The project will turn a fairly straight creek channel with eroding banks into a naturally winding channel. Trees and boulders would be added to the channel area to help establish the new course. The Town would also excavate the area around the creek and recreate a floodplain to prevent flooding in neighboring properties. The area affected by the reconstruction would then be planted heavily with vegetation. The project is expected to begin later this summer, after permits are obtained and public informational meetings are held for affected property owners.

Since the Remington subdivision has been built, the Town has enacted stricter environmental regulations that require structures to be placed at least 100 feet from perennial streams. In Remington, some structures come within 20 feet of the creek, a distance that was consistent with building regulations when the subdivision was constructed. In addition, the Town has enacted regulations that prevent new development in the drainage basin from further impacting the waterway.

Town officials have also been participating in Neuse River Non-Point Source Pollution Team meetings, which focus on educating citizens about the importance of maintaining clean waterways.

“We’re looking forward to working on this project,” Keefer said. “It will benefit the landowners around the creek by preventing damage to their property, and it will benefit the residents of Holly Springs by improving the water quality in Bass Lake.”

Bass Lake Park, a public park that will open later this year, will offer fishing and canoeing. A trail along the lakeshore will feature scenic overlooks.

“Better water quality means better recreational opportunities and a more enjoyable environment,” Keefer said. “So, this project will benefit more than just the Remington residents along the creek. It will benefit anyone who visits Bass Lake Park.”

For more information about this project, contact Keefer at 557-2909.

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us