This project was selected for grant funding because IT includes habitat improvements, such as stream daylighting and installation of native plantings water quality improvements, such as urban best…

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) awarded a $949,261.05 Cooperative Agreement to the City of Waynesboro, Virginia under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) program (CFDA 15.658). The grant funding supports habitat improvements, water quality enhancements, and recreational access projects along the South River in Waynesboro. Key activities include the installation of a constructed wetland, daylighting of a currently piped stream segment, reforestation and meadow creation, and development of walking paths and fishing areas. These restoration efforts are expected to reduce stormwater runoff, create new wildlife habitat, and improve public access to the South River Greenway over the grant period ending on December 31, 2028.

This project was selected for grant funding because IT includes habitat improvements, such as stream daylighting and installation of native plantings water quality improvements, such as urban best management practices that will reduce stormwater runoff as well as improved recreational access to the south river. The project involves restoration activities on approximately 10.9 acres of property owned by the city of waynesboro. Activities at the site include installation of a constructed wetland best management practice to reduce stormwater pollution from 8.66 acres of urban watershed. Existing infrastructure will be utilized to the extent practical for the best management practice construction, and when IT is finished the constructed wetland will also provide habitat and be an amenity that also includes walking paths and viewing areas. In addition, the project includes creating 300 linear feet of stream channel for a stream that is currently piped from loth springs to the south river. This practice is called daylighting. Daylighting of the stream from loth springs will also result in pollutant reductions and habitat creation. The proposed spring daylighting and passive recreation landscape creates and restores wildlife habitat by converting 1.5 acres of manicured lawn area along race avenue to a reforestation meadow buffer and 4.5 acres of unmaintained pasture-land to a combination of riparian buffer, stormwater wetland, reforestation, and upland meadow. This will result in a 2.25 acre increase in tree cover, an additional 0.7 acres of meadow cover, and 0.65 acres of wetland. The existing access to the south river greenway in this location is limited and does not have dedicated recreational fishing spaces. Improvements have been recommended that will improve recreational access and walking paths to the habitat restoration area and the south river.