DRBC's Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, P.E., provides remarks at the awards ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Schuylkill Action Network (SAN).

The Schuylkill River Watershed is getting a little cleaner, thanks to the recent round of grant funding from the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund (SRRF). DRBC Deputy Executive Director Kristen Bowman Kavanagh, P.E., participated in the announcement ceremony, held earlier this month at Philadelphia's Northwestern Stables, a 2019 SRRF grant recipient.

"I’m happy to be here with you today at Northwestern Stables, a 2019 Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grant awardee, as we announce this year’s grant recipients," said DRBC's Kavanagh. "Stormwater improvement projects, like those implemented on this farm, reduce nutrient and pollutant runoff to our local waterways, improving water quality. The nearby Wissahickon Creek flows into the Schuylkill River, which is the largest tributary to the Delaware and provides drinking water to 1.5 million Pennsylvanians. These waters have truly benefitted from the over 120 grassroots water quality improvement projects funded by the SRRF since 2006, and the DRBC is proud to be a part of this worthwhile partnering effort."

This year, $337,500 in grant money was awarded to seven projects that will help improve water quality in the Schuylkill River Watershed. Project examples include the building of rain gardens, streambank and habitat restoration, implementation of agricultural best management practices and mitigating mine drainage.

In addition to Ms. Kavanagh, Schuylkill River Greenways Executive Director Elaine Schaefer, which oversees the SRRF, and representatives from Exelon, the Philadelphia Water Department and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary also gave remarks.

The SRRF is a great example of how partnering works to accomplish great things, bringing together government agencies, private industries, non-profit organizations, local businesses, and local community members to achieve positive environmental results for the Schuylkill River Watershed.

The SRRF was created under a DRBC docket and Exelon Generation LLC's desire to assist the restoration of the Schuylkill River Watershed, by providing large grants for on-the-ground improvements. DRBC approves the projects that are selected for funding using the Exelon funds and is one of several entities that sits on an advisory committee that chooses which projects get funded annually.

Since being established in 2006, the fund has collected more than $4.6 million - and leveraged another $5 million – for more than 121 projects that protect and restore the Schuylkill River.

Learn More:

• The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund
  
  
• 2021 SRRF Grant Recipients: Project Summaries (pdf)
  
  
• View additional event photos on SAN's Flickr page