Clean water grants to benefit area lakes, creeks

April 17, 2007

By Russell Stigall

Frontiersman

Valley residents can safely put the bottled water back on the shelf, thanks to $675,000 of Alaska Clean Water Action grants.

The funds will go to 31 statewide projects for the year starting July 1. The actual number of high-priority waters is higher than 31, but the state wants to get a rational number done this year, said Laura Eldred, environmental program specialist for the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Water.

&#8220Funding is so short we have to make sure we are getting our limited funding to the waters of highest concern,” Eldred said.

DEC is working with local groups, community councils and governments to come up with ideas for solutions.

&#8220We're trying to get community buy-in,” Eldred said. &#8220Let's figure something out together. We may not know what the best fix would be until we get some input.”

Many Mat-Su waters are on the list of projects this year.

Mat-Su is growing rapidly and many new subdivisions are going in near rivers, lakes and streams.

&#8220That combination leads to more concerns in water quality around the Mat-Su,” Eldred said.

Lake Lucille and Cottonwood Creek are high-priority waters in Wasilla, Eldred said. They are what DEC considers impaired - they consistently do not meet state water-quality standards.

Lucille suffers from low dissolved oxygen, especially in winter, due to nitrates increasing plant growth. When the plants die, their decomposing bodies suck up all the oxygen, creating dead zones.

Cottonwood Creek has a suspicious level of excess foam as well as an excess of stormwater runoff and road runoff.

Also on the list, Big Lake is contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons from boats and personal watercraft.

&#8220In certain high-use areas, it is just too much,” Eldred said.

DEC, along with the departments of Fish and Game and Natural Resources, are working together to take solicitations for and choose water quality projects deserving of the ACWA grant money.

&#8220We work together to pool our knowledge and pool our resources,” Eldred said.

DEC is now accepting applications for ACWA grants for 2008. The grants go to fund restoration, protection and stewardship of Alaska's water resources.

Grant applications should request actions based on specific issues.

Clean water grants are designed to develop local ordinances, support education and awareness to address proper operation and maintenance for on-site septic systems, minimize stormwater runoff from new construction of roads, highways and bridges among other construction projects. Funding is contingent on local government support and involvement.

For other issues applicants should contact DEC.

ACWA grants come from funding from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The money is transferred to the DEC, which disperses it to community groups or governments.

The ACWA grant program, issued under various names, started in the 1990s.

Eldred said she has seen changes in awareness of clean water issues. Increased concern from the public has been expressed especially through the Mat-Su Borough. The borough has championed lake management plans, and subdivision planning and has passed setback ordinances for how close to water bodies landowners can build.

&#8220I think water quality is something most people can relate to,” Eldred said. &#8220Fishing, drinking or swimming, water quality is a unifying thing here in the Valley,” Eldred said.

This year, $125,000 in funds are also available through the national BEACH grant program for community beaches that may have sewage pollution. A DEC survey of 125 coastal communities and Alaska Native Tribes found several beaches that ranked high for the possibility of bacteria pollution and should be further monitored.

All applications must be submitted to Marcie Fader at the Department of Environmental Conservation, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 by 4:30 p.m., April 30.

For more information, contact the Mat-Su DEC office at 376-1855 or visit DEC's Web site at www.dec.state.ak.us.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@frontiersman.com